We come one
by mysterious advisor
Summary: A broken bond between a pair of twins, twenty years lived in hatred and mistrust and a group of gifted people trying to survive among their own kind.RxJ, MxK, LxN, AxZ, SxD, AU COMPLETE!
1. Prologue

This happenes in an alternative universe, where and when Rei and Darien are twins. You know what they say about twins, that they are supposed to have the ability of understanding each other without any words and much more… But what if such a pair would be split and the twin brothers would turn out to be so different? And what if they would be forced to reunite? What could happen in such moments?

Prologue

Silence. The whole facility was drowned in a thick silence. There, in the middle of a huge forest, away from any indiscreet eyes and curious reporters were hidden all the "disturbed" persons connected somehow to the famous people in the high-class society. The atmosphere within the high secured building made the place look and feel like a prison. And it was a prison, for some people and especially for her.

She had been put in this place for two years now and she had cursed her brother for doing this every day since that moment. Yes, she had the "honour" to be Darien Shields' twin sister and the target of his reproaches ever since they had been born. If it weren't for the similar features, one could have never taken them for siblings, but twins. They shared the same deep blue eyes, the raven black hair and the name… but nothing else. From a young age, Rei had discovered that she had abilities that no other child carried: she could command fire, use it as a doorway to other worlds and have premonitions with it's help. And all of those due to her mother's gifts, very similar to hers. Her mother had been a high-ranked priestess up until her father had practicly ordered her to stop that "nonesense", as he called it, and come with him in her "rightful" place. Her mother refused at first, but was forced to accept his command the moment she became pregnant. Ever since then, terrifying years followed.

She gave birth to Rei and Darien nine months later and the two became the official heir of a huge fortune and bussiness empire… Or, better to say, Darien became that. When the children turned three, the situation turned desperate: their father would blame their mother and punish her for doings that didn't belong to her and, all of those, in front of their underaged children. Rei passed through the whole ordeal as if she was the one punished, but Darien almost transformed into a block of ice at the sounds of his mother's screams and pleas. It was then that the two became so different and entered different worlds.

One night, deciding that it was too much for her, Rei's mother ran away, also taking her daughter with her, refusing to leave her behind. For about two years they lived inside an isolated temple, where their past couldn't reach them. Until one day… One horrible day when Rei's father found them and took them back by force. Reaching the city once again, his first action was to throw her mother into a psichiatric hospital and let her rot in there. He hoped that the years they spent into the temple didn't manage to transform Rei… but it was too late…

Her powers had developed meanwhile and, even at her age, Rei could be easily considered a future priestess. However, she was smart enough not to let her father know of that. She hid her powers, her abilities and her new habits. At her return into the house where she was born, Rei met a very changed Darien and realised that he had become everything that his father wanted… that his father was. That scared her even more than a possible future inside a mad-house. She had tried to change him back, but understood soon enough that he had already taken his path and there was no way back.

As years passed by and the twins grew older, Darien took a seat into his father's companies, but Rei kept herself out of any bussiness and filled her time with trips around the world, also visiting sacred temples where she could practise her beliefs and knowledge. Until she was caught by her brother. Without notice, he pulled her out of the temple, threw into a car and drove away, as his servant destroyed the place and killed all the monk and priests inside. That was the final blast that rei could take. On the way back, she confessed everything and tried to escape and even kill Darien. Having no success though, she followed her mother's footsteps and entered a psichiatric hospital herself, a palce hidden from the rest of the world, and was forgot there.

Until now… now when an escaping opportunity was given to her, an answer to her prayers… a light of hope in the middle of a darkened ocean. And she took it.

Without any notice, she hit hard her two guardians, left them behind, took off her chains with a stolen key and got out, into the building's palin garden. She could already hear the alarm behind her, but she knew that such a chance could never appeare again, so she had to take full advantage of this one. With speed and skills that prooved years of training, Rei jumped over the tall fence filled with spikes, fell on the other side and started running for her life. She was aware that if her brother managed to find her, he would most definitely kill her.. so she had to run, to escape and to start her life all over. Somewhere far, far away…

That's it for now. Read and let me know what you think… Should I go on with the story or not? Be sincere!


	2. Escape

Hey! Me back! So, starting from this chapter, we're gonna' meet some new characters! I'm sure you'll realise immediately who they are! Ok, I'm giving you a hint: this is a senshi-shitennou fic, though set in an alternative universe. Anyways, enjoy!

Escape

A sharp and constant noise woke Darien up from his thoughts. Unwillingly he had taken a very old picture out from a drawer inside his large and expensive desk. The photo showed himslef and Rei, both held in their mother's arms. The photo had been taken when the twins were two, less than a year before his mother's and sister's short disappearance. They were all in some kind of theme-park, having the times of their lifes. Even if Darien couldn't remember that day, for he was too young, he could tell by everyone's expression that they were having a blast. Maybe if he were five again he would smile at the sight of that picture, but now he looked at it with a frown and with nothing inside of him. After the third ring, he picked up the buzzing phone and answered.

"Boss, I have bad news!"

"What is it Zack?" he asked, almost anticipating what the young man was about to announce him.

"Two hours ago she escaped from the faicility. She somehow managed to catch off-guard the employers and ran away. Boss, are you still there?" the man on the other side of the line asked, not even hearing a breath.

"So… my dillusional sister finally managed to brake out of that place, huh?" he asked and sounded rather amused. If Zack had been in the same room as his boss, he would have seen a sadistic grin on his face. Still, even though he wasn't, the man "felt" that grin and shivered unconsciously. He knew very well exactly how dangerous and powerful Darien could be on such occassions. It scared him, but also made him proud that he was capable enough to be accpted by such a man.

"We're starting the search as we speak."

"No need to. This time, I'll find her myself and take care of the problem she became lately. She needs to be stopped… one way or another." He said and placed the phone back in it's place. Rising from his seat, Darien Shields buttoned up his jacket and left his office without further notice.

Twenty minutes later he was driving faster than normal to the place his sister had barely escaped from. In order to find her, he had to check out that place and find out exactly what she had done in order to set herself free. Yes, that was the best expression that could define Rei. Ever since she had lived two years into a temple, she had picked up traditional and annoying customs, like the fire readings and purifying the place she lived. There was nothing wrong with it, it was just her paranoia.

Soon after she and her mother had come back, he realised how different had grown and the void that was created between them. Even nowadays he was told how he and Rei used to act when alone or together when they were very young: they missed each other a lot, felt if something wrong and good had happened to one other and seemed to depend on each other for almost anything. Just like several other pairs of twins would react. But, in time, they became so different in comparison to others. They learned to gain a certain independence, which soon led to dispise and on to hate.

He did not know if he hated her or not. After all, she was his sister, but they way they had been concepted, their lifes so far and her stubborn faith in her sacred way and habits made her unstandable in his eyes. He couldn't stand being near her, to hear her speak of her ways and beliefs… maybe he did hate her after all. And now, he had to find her before words got out of her whereabouts in the past months and in the present.

Half a day later, in the evening, he got at the clinic where he left his sister about six months earlier. He got out of the car and motioned to the entrance, just where his loyal employee, the man named Zack waited. In spite of his look, Zack was pretty much the smartest man in his company. The young man was pretty tall, but not as tall as Darien, had green emerald eyes and curly, dirty-blonde hair. His nose seemed to belong to a royal person and his whole face held something girlish in the features, but not in the way he kept his fashionable glasses, just below his eyes, not as a high as a geek, but not as low as an old man. Just in the right place, enough to attract all the females around him, up until a fifty yard range. He didn't like official suites, so he refused to wear anything else except for baggy jeans, long shirts and leather jackets. It did make him look desirable and he knew it. With a somewhat reserved look, he welcomed his boss.

"Hey, Darien…" Zack was indeed the only employee who was allowed to call Mr. Shields Darien, for they were pretty close, almost would say some, considering that Darien Shields held everyone around him as far as possible.

"So, what happened?" he asked as they walked to the scene.

"Apparently she did it this time. She managed to free herself of the usual strains, hit the guards and grabbed the keys to the outside door. When she got out in the field, she climbed the spiked fence and ran into the woods. Ialready checked the fence for blood and there was plenty of it."

"So she's wounded. That couldn't have got her far. Unfortunately my sister is very resistent, especially when it comes to a way to freedom. Not to mention that my dear mother made sure to hide a large enough sum of money into a secret account, that no one, except for Rei can access it."

"Yes, those do represent a problem…" Zack spoke as he already formed a plan inside his mind. That was what Darien liked about him: he was smart and fast enough to adapt to any change of situation, he could never be caught off-guard and he always had a million back-plans, so that he would always be able to get out alive of any deadly situation. That was why he had kept Zack close over the years. He was the mind behind the plan.

"If you want I can start searching for that account and at least block it!" the blonde offered.

"Don't bother!" Darien shook his head in denial. "My dearest mother made sure that no one could find those money and, even if they did, that they couldn't get to them. It would be a dead lead anyway!"

"Ok, so how do we find her?"

"We don't!" he announced and walked towards the exit. "I do! And Zack…"

"Yeah…" the blonde stopped behind his boss and waited for his command, understanding that he wasn't supposed to follow him.

"Take of things here and then head back to the city after you're done! I'll check up with you in a few days. With a bit of luck, I'll find her by then…" Darien ended as he got out of the building and headed to his car. Getting inside it, he drove away from that place which had once given him the assurance that his sister would safe and away from everyone's eyes and ears.

Rei found herself even hours after her escape, in the middle of the day still running through the woods. In some way it was good, because the trees would offer her safety in case of a helicopter flying somewhere above, but it was also bad, because she was starting to starve and soon she was sure that she'd lose consciousness. But she had to keep on running so that she could get as far away from her borther as possbile. She knew that he was probably already searching for her and that he wasn't going to stop until he found her… maybe this time he would even consider killing her. 'Dammit, how did we end up like this? Where has all this hatred come from? Why us? Why us, Darien?' she thought, almost desperate at the thought of her twin trying and even managing to kill her. She felt a serie of shivers down her spine and then, her feet just betrayed her. The last thing she saw as she fell down was a car driving through the woods and coming right in her way. But she was too exhausted to keep going.

"Hey, Nick!" a voice was heared through the speaker. "Nick! You there man?"

"Yeah, where else would I be at three in the morning?" a sleepy voice answered, while the young man called Nick sat down at the small desk in his room and picked up the comlink.

"Hey, I'm coming faster than planned… and I'm not alone!"

"Jade, I thought you were supposed to check out that new residence, not go out on your own!" Nick argued, both angry for having been woken up at that hour and for not being asked to join his friend.

"Not that king of "I'm not alone"!" Jade shouted back. "On the way back, I found a girl…"

"Not surprised!"

"In the woods!" the voice argued.

"Well, at your rate I'm sure you could find one even in the middle of Sahara!"

"Stop interrupting me and listen! I found her badly wounded and dressed weird!"

"Define "weird"!" Nick asked just before yawning.

"We're more than thirty miled away from any town, village, even gas station and she's dressed in hospital clothes: something that used to be white shirt and pants and the remainings of a robe. Explain that!"

"Can you tell me her name? Maybe I could find her in the database!" Nick said, suddenly woken up and ready to start the job.

"She was already down when I found her and I doubt she's gonna' wake up anytime soon…"

"Ok, than start speeding! I'm gonna' ask Amy to get up and get ready for a check-up. But, I'm warning you! She's not going to like it!" Nick advised with a huge grin on his face.

"It's not like your asking Lita to wake up!" Jade scowled and Nick's grin suddenly faded away.

"Don't say that!"

"Ahaaaaaaaa, so you do like her!"

"You're paranoid!"

"And you're in love! Oh, come on, Nick! Just admit it! You like our tall, strong and incredible amazonian cook and fighter!"

"Jade, Jade are you still there? Jade, I'm loosing you!" Nick spoke in the microphone in a mcokery tone and closed the line afterwards. Yes, he did like Lita… a lot. But he wasn't going to listen some bachelor's advice. Lita was the kind of person who could fall head-over-heels extremely fast, considering that she was the strong girl in their team. She had long brown hair and pair of emerald eyes in which Nick could just drown. If it were up to him, he could spend hours, days, weeks just staring into those eyes and not get bored even for a second. But he was afraid that she might either refuse or, worse, he would end up hurting her. Despite of being phisicly strong, Lita was spiritually weak. Yes, she could be a great leader and be stubborn as a virus in a very old computer, but, when it came to love, she was the one to fall and to get hurt. It was true that lately she had refused to allow herself to be charmed so easily and that she didn't go out as much as she used to, but she remained what she had always been. Nick agreed with her schedule changes and hoped to stay around her as much as possbile, but in the end she would remain home to cook or train even more and he would be dragged into some club by Jade… the demon!

"Hey, Ames!" the man whispered as he entered a dark room and motioned himself to the large bed. In the right part of the bed, covering little space, slept a girl, not short, but not tall either. Nick ended next to the bed and shook her shoulder easily, so that he wouldn't scare her.

"Hmm…" she moaned slightly and rubbed her eyes. "Ouch!" she said, when her fragile hands touched a pair of glasses instead of her sleepy eyes.

"Ames! You've been reading until late again…" Nick said on a fatherly tone and pointed a finger at her, while he turned on her lamp with the other hand.

"Sorry!" she smiled shily and took off the glasses when the light went on. "I've had a lot to learn for the exams and I wanted to get back to my reading… so… I kind of fell asleep… Sorry!"

"No need to apologize! Just, next time try to take off your glasses… we wouldn't want something bad to happen to our smart doctor, now would we?" he spoke on a funny tone and made her smile and blush. Yep, that was Ames, or Amy. Each of them called her either way and she accepted it. She was the smartest of the gang by far. Intelligent, pretty and shy, she was like a small child. Due to her age and fragility, she was the most protected of all and the most valued of the girls. Yes, she wasn't one of the leaders, like Serena, but when it came to some impossible area of knowledge or to certain information, Amy was the one everyone went to. She wasn't a bookworm because the others wouldn't let her become one, but she wasn't far of it either. The reason for which she had accepted to join the team and became friends with everyone so fast, was that her ackward skills as a doctor and her level of intelligence were accepted here by everyone. There was no limit and she could always learn something new.

"So, what did you wake me up for?"

"Umm, oh yeah! Jade's coming fast! Apparently he found some girl…"

"Nick!" she objected, looked away and tried to hide the crimson blush which had already covered her pale face, with record speed.

"Not that kind of girl!" he objected and smiled sheepishly. "He found her in the woods severly wounded.

"In the woods? At this time? But we're so far from any settlement…" Amy tried to argue.

"I know! That's why he found it so weird and took the girl with him."

"Oh, right! I'll prepair the infirmery immediately!" she said with wide opened eyes, jumped from the bed and, before Nick could know it, she was out the door, heading to the medical part of their hide-out.

Let me know what you think! The review button is right below!


	3. safety

Hey there! So, this is turning more and more into a senshi-shitennou fic. Hope you like it! Oh, and one more thing: don't own sailor moon... unfortunately...

Safety

„Mornin' everyone!" a male voice filled the tight atmosphere inside the infirmery. Nick and Amy turned around in the same time, to see a tall blonde man, with malicious blue eyes, carrying a raven-haired young woman. Indeed, she had many cuts and bruises, not to metnion that she was in a desperate need of some new clothes. Jade approached the hospital bed, deposited the cargo he had been carrying and looked up at the other two, standing on the other side of the table. Well, actually he only looked up at Nick, for Amy was much shorter and she had already started checking the girl laying in front of her.

"So, I see once again you've come back in the weirdest way possbile!" Nick frowned, still angry at what he had said previously about Lita.

"What's the matter, Nick? You miss your bachelor life? Forgot what's it like?" the blonde teased the man in front of him, though aware that he could get himself killed at any moment. Nick's blue eyes held nothing innocent inside. On the contrary, being one of the eldest in the team, along with Kane, made him one of the strongest of their kind. He had done many unpleasant things in his life and Jade was sure that he wouldn't even want to find out about some. Nick had been for many years pretty much of a fighter for his life, considering the gift he had tried desperately to hide. Unfortunately for him, the moment people found out about his abilities, they ended up forcing him to protect his own life by taking the ones of others. And that was just a part of the whole story. Anyway, ever since he had joined, or, better said, teamed up with Kane and created this group together, he allowed his wavy brown hair to grow, now reaching way below his shoulders, and his eyes became a more calm and human than before. Now he was starting to turn into a human being again… and all thanks to the best cook in the county… their own Lita… soon to be Nick's own Lita.

"Don't make me shut you up with your own boot!" he warned, still sleepy.

"Do you think you could take your little hassle outside and allow me to do my job?" Ames spoke up, stopping the two from going further, for she knew all too well where the discussion was leading.

"Hehe, sorry Ames!" Jade spoke dumbly and almost pulled Nick out with him. "Oh and, by the way, nice pj's!" he teased and she looked down to see her normal pijama filled with pictures of little and funny mice. She smiled, stuck out her tongue at him and returned to her patient. He laughed as he was being pulled out, this time, by his taller and older friend.

"Leave her alone! Ok, so, what did you do?"

"Dude, you're really paranoid! I just found her!" Jade defended himself.

"You sure?" Nick rose an eyebrow.

"YEAH! Now let's get ourselves out of the hallways, or we're going to have to face your angry girlfriend for having her sleep interrupted at this time!" Jade teased some more and started running for his life.

"Hey! She's not my girlfriend!" Nick almost yelled back and followed him quickly.

It was barely the following hours, when Rei woke up from her state of inconstience. Step by step, she gained controll over her sense and at first, felt the surface she was laid on: something large, yet comfortable, considering the beds within the facility she had barely escaped. One thought passed her mind: 'If I am right now inside that place, or some palce else, picked by my brother, I will commit suicide!' When she managed to open her eyes, her sight was invaded by a strong white light. For a moment she dared hoping that she was already dieing, but she soon discovered that she was far from that wish, when a girl's head enetred her visual range and stared down at her with a shy and hopeful smile on her face and wide blue eyes. At that time, Rei thought the girl was an angel.

"Where am I?" was the first thing she asked when she could speak.

"Some place you would have never imagined!" she said, happy that she managed to save the girl and filled with the excitement of making a new friend.

"Where exactly?" she asked while trying to get up, in spite of her weakness. Gently, the short and dark-haired girl pushed her back on the bed and assured her with a soft and charming tone.

"Don't worry! Whatever it was the thing you were running from, you're safe now! No one can find you here!"

"But…"

"Now you must sleep! You need every moment of rest you can get until you are fully recovered! I'll talk to the others and we'll all get together and decide stuff! But only after you get well!" she interrupted her on a determined tone and Rei obeyed the obviously younger girl, not understanding er wish for helping her nor the persons and reunions she was speaking of. Managing to flash a sad and weak smile at the first person who had actually been nice to her in years, Rei found herself standing on the bed once again and falling into a deep sleep. This time, a more calm and normal sleep.

"Mornin'!" a chipper voice surrounded the huge kitchen, as a tall young woman, dressed into a green pair of baggy trousers and a thight white top entered the room. A group of groans emerged from a group of sleepy people, except for Nicholas, who was peeling down an orange and Amy who still hadn't returned from the infirmery. The tall woman stretched out her arms and legs, making herself even taller than she was. Then she shook her neck and her long and brown ponytail hit Jade's face as she walked to her place, around the round large table.

"Lita! Do you think you can keep you hair out of my mouth?" Jade said, grumpy for not being able to sleep more than three hours that night.

"Blondie, maybe I should keep my cooking out of your mouth aswell!"

"Litaaaaaaa!" the blonde man whined worse than a five year-old, making everyone laugh, or at least smile.

"Yeah… that should teach you a lesson!"

"But…"

"Forget it!"

"Hey guys!" another voice, this one smaller and even happier interrupted the quarrel. Amy practicly burst inside the room, still wearing her pj's and forcing six pairs of eyes to stare at her dumbly. Noticing their reaction, she glanced at her and realised the reason for their quiet stares. "Sorry, I didn't have time to get changed…" she apologized on her small, sweet tone and blushed. The guys simply stared away, while the girls nodded their heads. "Anyway, I wanted to give the big news! Our patient is out of any danger and she managed to wake up for a minute or so!" she smiled widely, showing off perfect white teeth. Suddenly, the atmosphere turned around dramamtically and everyone woke up in a heartbeat. Nick turned around from facing the table completely, pealing on his orange with far more determination than before, Jade growled loudly and the rest stared at the youngest member of the group. Understanding that she had done something wrong, Amy bit down her lip.

"Patient?" a tall man, probably the oldest of them, with silvery blonde hair, reaching his shoulders asked deadly while turning to the blonde on the other side of the table, having seen his reaction.

"What patient?" a blonde girl with long hair and blue eyes asked aswell.

"Well…" Jade started without needing to look up in order to see Kane glaring at him. "LastnightIkindoffoundthisgirlinthewoods. ShellokedprettyhurtsoIbroughthertoAmy!" he spoke in a flash. Kane looked up at Amy, who rose her hands in defeat.

"What girl?" another blonde girl, with blue eyes, stading on the other side of Kane asked.

"I don't know who she is…" Jade confessed and waited for the following burst.

"What!" the first blonde girl got up and shouted, waking all of those who were still asleep. "You actually brought someone who you don't even know in here?"

"Yeah, are you nuts?" the other blonde continued, but remained in her seat.

"I know!" Amy's voice managed for the first time to outwin the ones of Sere and Mina. All the kitchen's inhabitants suddenly turned to the blue-eyed teenager and just stared dumbly once again.

"What do you know, Ames?" Kane asked, getting up and looking at her with lavender eyes. Usually, in such situations, his eyes would be stormy and angry, but, in her case, he refused to carry such stares and scare her. He treated her pretty much like a child and so, didn't glare or yell at her. It was enough that she knew when to stop and what to do in pretty much all possible situations. Usually, after doing something wrong, Amy would come forward and punish herself for her actions, before anyone could decide anything. That was enough for Kane.

"Who she is… I know her name…" she confessed and stared right into their leader's eyes.

"Come on, sis! Where are you?" Darien asked himself after not finding her in the third spot he ahd already searched. This time she managed to disappeare without a trace. Not even a single one. For a moment, Darien actually thought that she might have done something good for him, for once, and killed herself. But no! That was something her thoughts would never accept. She was too proud to do such a thing. Only cowards commited suicide and God knew she wasn't one. But neither was Darien… and that meant that he would search every inch of that palce until he found her… he would back away for nothing! A familiar ring disturbed his thoughts. "Shields!" he answered, a bit angry.

"Hey boss! Any luck with the hunt?" Zack's voice filled the speaker.

"Unfortunately, my sister has found a way to escape me… for now!"

"Sorry to hear that! Don't worry, we'll find her… wherever she hid herself, she'll come out eventually… and we'll be there to nail her!"

"For everyone's sake, you should be right! If word gets out of her powers and her last whereabouts… let's just say things won't come out very good. I hate knowing my future in her hands… that's one of the reasons for which I hid her in the first palce…"

"I though that was your father's order…" Zack dared.

"That too…" Darien growled, signaling the other that he had already passed in a very flamable territory.

"Ok, I'll give you a call as soon as I find something…" Zack spoke, ending the conversation.

"You do so!" Darien ordered and shut his phone.

"Come on, boss! I have a good hunch about her!" Jade whined all the way down to the infirmery. The whole group was walking pretty fast and Kane was trying really hard and actually managing not to kill the guy. The "managing" part was due to his sister clinging on his left arm and his wife pulling him by the other one. Indeed, he had no idea what he were to do without his two favourite blondes: Serena and Mina.

"One: don't call me boss! And two: we all know about you and your hunches!"

"I have good instincts!"

"Good enough to almost allow our enemies to find us last month!" Nick observed and Lita chuckled from next to him. Her laughter made him smile… apparently that deadly smile of hers was the only thing that could make him smile nowadays. He glanced at her in the same moment that she did at him. The result was them both turning away, one still glancing from time to time and the other blushing madly. In spite of all her crushes, Lita always came back to her first and only true love, in the person of the misterious and dangerous astronomer.

"Anyway, we're going to get at the bottom of this!" Serena glared at Jade as she walked further, still clung on her brother's strong arms. Behind everyone, in the same line with the two brown heads walked silently the blue-eyed young doctor, still feeling guilty over her earlier burst.

"I'm telling you…" Jade was ready to explode, when, having enough, Kane broke away from both Rena and Mina, turned around, and said strongly:

"Okay! Now shut up! All of you!" he shouted and made everyone freeze silently. "I'll enter first… and alone!"

"But…"

"No buts!" he warned and walked into the infirmery room, shutting the automatic doors securely behind him. Slwoly, he turned around and walked determined to the bed where the raven-haired girl was still laying calmly and awake. Approaching her, Kane could almost hear her heart beating madly and almost exiting her chest, in spite of her calm extrerior.

"Hello Rei." His deep voice filled the room and she looked up, directly into his eyes.

"Kane?" she asked nervously, not believing her eyes. He frowned and she suddenly jumped off the bed and on the other side of the room, staring at him with wide-opened eyes. "As in my brother's best friend?" she asked again.

"Former!"

"How do I know you're not lieing? How do I know this is just some scheme that will lead me back to Darien?" she asked terrified as she backed away some more.

"Last time I checked, you were his twin sister! You should at least know that I haven't met Darien for years now… ever since he betrayed me…" he spoke.

"I haven't exactly been around lately…"

"What's happened to you, Rei?" Kane asked.

"He locked me away… from everything, from everybody… and if I let him find me… this time he'll kill me! So you have to understand that I'll either break out of this place, just like I've been doing in the past years… or I'll kill myself." She warned.

"What can you do?"

"Excuse me?"

"You said your brother's been keeping you in hidden places… If my theory is right, than you have some kind of unusual powers or habits." He tried to calm her down.

"I think you should get inside there!" Serena spoke outside the door, adressing to Jade. The blonde looked at her curiously and she nodded. Within a moment he deactivated the codes, opened the doors and jumped intside the room, just in time to see Kane trying to talk normally to the black-haired woman on the edge of madness. In less than a second, he was behing Rei, imobilizing her hands and keeping a safe arm in front of her neck.

"Jade, don't!" Kane ordered, but the man holding Rei refused to let go.

"Serena felt a strange power coming from her!" he snarled into her ear, making her shiver.

"If I were in any danger, don't you think I would have sensed it first?"

"Doesn't matter! Honestly, I prefer your sister's senses when it comes to these things… no offence. So, little witch, what can you do anyways?" he asked harshly and, before Rei could answer, a small and childish voice was heared from the doors.

"She's a fire priestess… just like her mother…" everyone turned around to see Amy, looking with a smile on her face at the girl captured by Jade's strong arms. Quickly, the young doctor came to her and released her from the man's grip, hugging her. "Don't worry, Reyanna Shields, you're safe now!" Taken by surprise, Rei stared at Kane. Sharing only one glance with her, the silver-haired man signaled Jade to follow him and let the girls alone, especially the new-arrived. Exiting the room, the two men met four gazes. Kane looked at everyone and saw Lita and Nick ready for action at any moment and Mina with Rena, carrying worried looks in their eyes.

"Why don't we let you girls introduce each other and make Rei feel welcomed… she's been through a lot…" Kane suggested as he motioned, with Jade right behind him, and signaled Nicholas to follow them as well. Mina looked back at the amazonian girl and, without further notice, she grabbed her sister-in-law's hand, pulling her inside with an unknown strenght.

"Hey there, stranger!" the eldest blonde spoke up in the most bubbly voice possible. Amy turned around and smiled at the three girls and took Rei's hand within her own, guiding her to the others. "I guess I should start introductions, since no one here is willing to…" she said, narrowed her eyes and stared back at Serena and Lita. "So, I'm Mina, the tipycal blue-eyed blonde in this "house". This is Serena, our fearless leader's sister, the Her Tallness over there is Lita, the best chef in the whole country and I guess you've already met our young and bright doctor, Amy!" she ended with the most beautiful smile anyone had ever seen. "Now come on! You must be starving and I'm sure that Lita here will accept prepairing you best scrambled eggs you've ever had!" she said, glanced at Lita, who immediately nodded, a bit nervous, and took off the first, followed by the others.

"Sorry, should have imagined that our energy blast would introduce you to the others… Should have warned you." Amy apologized, while the two were walking behind the others, allowing them to show Rei the way to the kitchen.

"Don't worry! She seemes nice, anyway!" Rei smiled apologetically.

"She's more than nice. You could say she's our brightest ray of sun in our darkest hours. I've never met a more optimistic person than her… or more determined."

"Wow!" Rei could only exclaim, hearing the younger woman pray the blonde.

"Yeah…and she's not the tipycal blue-eyed blonde at all. I mean, she used to be a supermodel and sometimes still does photo shootings, but she's not dumb. You have no idea how many times her crazy ideas saved us… and especially Kane…"

"Oh… I see! She's his girlfriend, right?" Rei smirked.

"Nope… she's his wife!" Amy announced her and watched with amusement how the reven-haired beauty's jaw dropped.

"Wow… years ago, when I met him, he seemed just like Darien… That's why I thought it was just a trapp!"

"Well, that was years ago… But, something happened when he and Darien turned into enemies. Since then he built this shelter and several more… for all the children "blessed" with gifts."

"You mean, everyone here has a hidden talent?"

"Hidden more or less. You've seen Jade… and that's not the best he can. I've actually seen him passing through laser barriers without setting off the alarms. That was impressive!" Amy confessed.

"Jade's the guy who held me earlier?"

"And the one who found you. You're really lucky, you know… I thought Kane was going to kill him for bringing you here. I guess things worked out anyway."

"I guess… so, what else can you guys do?"

"Well…let's see: Jade's the fast one, you can read fire and use it; Nicholas had an ability somewhat similar to yours… he can see the future or answers to some situations in stars… I understood that this came with the genes, for pretty much every man in his family had the same power. Up until his dad… who brought him so far. He was the reason for his flee and for his actions before Kane found him. Kane, our fearless leader, how Mina likes naming him, can induce emotional states and even play with one's mind. Before I joined up with them, he did it to me… and it was painful. Of course, he apologized later, but I can still remember what it felt like. Anyway, it's no use to hate him for his actions… so, the forgiveness kind of came on it's own. Next, Serena, his sister. She's almost like him, but she can also feel a person's emotions. She more like the receptive type, when Kane is the attacker. That's why they make such a good team. You'll see that Rena isn't that quiet at all. I think you two will become friends pretty fast. I believe there are many things that could connect you two." Amy smiled and made Rei lift her mouth's corners up.

"Okay, and the tall one? The chef?" she rose an black eyebrow.

"Lita, yes! In her case, it's more about phisycal appearance and strenght. You see, ever since she was a child, Lita's always been different from the other girls. She's always been the tall one with no one to dance at the balls and parties. And, in time, she's developed a certain force by practicing many sports like swimming, basketball and judo… yes, especially judo. She learned to defend herself and became one of the most feared girls in the high society."

"So, where's the problem? I know we're all coming from rich families and we were all supposed to have a normal life, instead of this… But what was her problem?" Rei asked francly.

"He parents and the people she knew started considering her a freak. She was soon outcast by her own family. So, one day, she couldn't bare the insults anymore and ran away. I don't blame her… after all those years, I would have probably done that many years before her. Anyway, I have no idea how she entered the group. I just know that she's one of the first to join. I am barely the last and still called "new-girl". Anyway, she grew up what you see her, but she still a heart even weaker than mine. She can fall head-over-heels instantly. She gets by it, in the end, without too many problems, and I noticed that lately she's been keeping herself away from clubs and bars." Amy said with a hidden meaning. "I suspect it has something to do with Nick." She leaned to Rei and whispered in her ear. The two chuckled like two school-girls and entered the large room called "kitchen", settling themselves in two seats, next to each other.

"Ok, so what can you do?"

"You mean, besides learning and reading all the time?" Rena teased from across the table.

"I'm the doctor!"

"I noticed…" Rei answered puzzled and glanced from the blonde to the brunette.

"I'm the doctor because my blood contains a very rare gene that makes me able to heal myself and persons that come in contact with my blood very fast." Amy confessed and offered Rei a knife. "Here, try cutting yourself." Rei looked up at her, straight into her eyes. "Come on, trust me!" Amy pleaded. Nodding, the black-haired woman pressed the blade into he hand and watched the blood falling down her skin, until, several short moments later, the wound started healing on it's own. Rei's mouth dropped open and Rena laughed at her sight. "That's because my blood is still in your system. Don't worry, it will wash off after eating."

"Wow!"

"You have no idea how much good Ames has done to us since she came here… or how many times she saved our lives." Rena praised her and Rei nodded.

"So… what do you guys do in here after all?"

"Meaning?"

"Why do you live in this hide-out, what's with all the advanced technology and why did you want to kill the guy who found me for bringing me here?" Suddenly, everyone around stoped and stared at one another. A certain tension filled the air. Sitting down next to Rei, Mina stared into her dark blue eyes and said on a very normal tone.

"We help other people like us… "gifted", "with special abilities" or whatever you want to call it… we help them surviving the popular mentality…"

"Are you some sort of X-men?" Rei interrupted her.

"No… we don't have imaginary powers and we definitely cannot shoot out lasers with our eyes!" Mina spoke, slightly annoyed of the new-arrived's assumption. The resemblance was more than dumb. "But we are famous children who have been thrown away by some reasons… weather we have weird habits we cannot shake off, paranormal "talents" or looks that don't correspond with our ranks… We just try to make these doomed kids understand that they're definitely not alone… that they have each other… and so, keep them sane." Mina ended and wanted to get up from her seat. Suddenly, Rei stopped her mid-way, attaching her hand to her arm.

"Mina, what can you do?" The blonde turned around and stared at the brunette, carrying a strange smile on her features. Sunddely, the whole forks, knifes, spones and plates started moving inside the room. Rei watched the show scared, while it seemed incredibly normal for Amy and Lita. One minute later, all the objects were settled back intot heir original spots. Staring down at her, Mina said calmly.

"I am a telekinetic… I guess I'm the freak in this gang…"

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	4. runaway

Hey there, people… I'm back, altough I'm not very sure why… hmm….

"I don't get it!" Serena whined while walking throughout the woods next to Mina and Lita. They were walking towards a large temple. They knew that inside that building lived the last true shinto monks and that Rei had disappeared inside that place for a week now, starting all over her habits and fire-readings. The evening before, Kane had told the three girls to go and make sure that the brunette was still alive and to bring her home. He was ready to start an investigation over her case. Gladly, the three friends accepted to make that trip without Amy, for she had got a bad cold ever since spending half a night inside the infirmery in nothing else than a pair of bluish pj's covered with mice pictures.

"What don't you get, Rena?" Lita asked from ahead the small group. It could be clearly noticed that the tall woman was enjoying this little trip more than anything else. The truth was that it was pretty hard for Lita to remain hid in their hide-out, although the place was huge and she could get as much training as she wanted. For the amazonian there was nothing like a breath of fresh air, in the middle of a wild forest, where you could even manage to get stalked by bears, wolfes, foxes and other species.

"Why this Darien guy is trying to kill Rei! I mean, yeah, she is different than the others, but I'm sure that she could restrain her visions enough for them not to be noticed. And, plus, Darien is her twin! I mean, don't we always hear about twin pairs having weird abilities considering the sibling relationship to one another?" Kane's sister inquired while walking further.

"Aren't you supposed to be the mind reader?" Lita teased.

"Well, if I managed to get near him and actually be able to pick up some emotions, than maybe I wouldn't ask you this, now and here!"

"Ok, then, from your… experience… What do you think?"

"Hey, if it weren't for Amy, I'd be the baby in here… I'm not sure! So far, I've never met a brother so eager to hide or to kill his younger or twin sibling. In these kind of situations, it's usually the other way around. Being older, most brothers, even the ones in twin pairs, tend to be extremely protective and possessive over their sisters. I mean look at mine!"

"Darien's hate wasn't triggered by Rei's behaviour or abilities. Those merely rose the level of anger inside him. Whatever the reason for his desire to kill Rei is, it comes from something that happened during their childhood." Mina spoke on a serious and mature tone, something very unsual for her. A tough silence followed, the other two women knowing very well that every time Mina used such a tone, things were very serious… almost dramatic.

"How do you know that?" Rena finally found the courage to ask. The elder blonde stopped, looked at her and answered.

"Because a long time ago I met Rei… and Darien… and your brother. I was maybe thireen when my parents went one day to a party, hosted by Rei's father. That's where I met her, Darien and Kane, believe it or not. They seemed rather different ever since then, though their eyes still carried innocence inside. Still, it could be easily told that something was wrong in the perfect picture their father was trying to pull up…" Mina told them, drifting back in her memories.

"So… I guess that destroys any posibility according to which Rei could be a spy…"

"Pretty much! I don't think she even wants to face her brother, but have something to do with him."

"So… back to the story… when you were thirteen you met my brother…" Serena said, gazing at Mina from below her eyelashes, telling her to continue.

"Don't get all kind of crazy thoughts, Rena… it was nothing like that…" the elder blonde fought back a bit annoyed, but knowing that she was going to end up telling her sister-in-law and Lita how she and her hubby met.

"Oh, come on! It's like we get an opportunity like this everyday… or that Kane ever gets to tell us how he ended up with you!" Lita pleaded.

"Yeah… and I really need to know some weird things about my bro' so I could blackmail him!" Rena added with a sadictic sparkle in her eyes. Mina sweatdropped and shouted her surrender.

"Alright! Until we get to wherever Rei is, I'll tell you how me and our fearless leader got together. But I have to warn you… it's looong story!"

"Yey!" a shout of victory filled the entire woods, having come from the amazon and the younger blonde.

"So…like I was saying, I met Kane for the first time during one of Darien's father's parties. At the time we were all thirteen, except for Kane, who was three years older and had already a gang of crazy teenage girls following him and drooling over him like he was the last guy on Earth. At that party we didn't have too much interactions, given our age. But…" Mina started and stopped suddenly, noticing the desperate look her companions had on their faces. This time she got scared of their reaction and backed away a bit, making sure to have a run for it in case they didn't like the story. "But we did when we met about three years later. By that time I was the one with a line of teenage guys drooling over me and he was already a college student with eye-glasses and good results at school. I have to admit that he loosend it up already by that time, but still knew how to have fun… Not to mention that he had and still has the body of god!" Mina said, absorbed in her story and blushing. She glanced over at her party again and this time saw a very silent Lita and coughing Serena, trying to hide the colour filling her cheeks. "Anyway, that's when he noticed me the first time!"

"Awwww!" the two girls expressed themselves.

"Not exactly. The first time he adressed to me, he called me a natural-sized Barbie doll, with nothing but a nice face and hair ." Mina shot back and watched her friends' astocnished faces. Their mouths had literally dropped open. "Yeah, well, I didn't react quite the same. I kind of insulted him back."

"How?"

"I called him an over-grown kid who turned into a frigid geek … I know, not one of my best names ever, but I never expected that one from him. I mean, I had college guys all over me and there he was, staring at me as if I was some dumb blonde."

"Ok, so what happened next?"

"Well, after hearing that from him, I stubbornly refused to see him for another two years. And, before I knew it, I was eighteen and found myself in the middle of one-hell-of-a fight, backing you up." She said and turned to Serena, who looked at her still star-struck. "After I got you out of there after using my… powers, I remember losing my consciousness and found myself, hours later, in one of your hide-outs. And there he was… The rest is history…" she ended her convesration, already noticing the wooden roofs of the sacred temple they were approaching.

"Ok, so, it's not that much… I thought you two went back a longer time." Rena practicly whined.

"Theoreticly we do… Now, don't you say I didn't warn you that the story wasn't going to be so interesting." Mina pointed a finger especially at Lita, who simply rose her shoulders in defense.

"Yeah… well, I can still torture my bro'…"

"How?" Lita stared at her in disbelief.

"Over-grown kid who tuned into a frigid geek?" she smirked evily and stared at Mina.

"As I said that was a long time ago!"

"Well, maybe that didn't change…" the younger blonde tempted her in-law.

"You have no idea!" Mina exhaled loudly, staring at the sky and the temple's roofs with dreamy eyes. At least until she understood that something was wrong. Serena had stopped mid-way, behind both her and Lita, staring at the small buildings in front of her. She looked as if she was in trance or something. The tall amazon and the older blonde stopped aswell and looked puzzled at Kane's younger sister, just in time to see her race past them and not stop or look behind for even a second until she reached the construction site. The two ran after her and followed her blonde hair up until they entered the main temple.

The building was pretty tall, but clearly made of wood. It could resist a stronger wind, but not an arson, which was curious, because this happened to be a fire temple. That made the priests out here to be either irresponsible or very loyal to their beliefs. Maybe they could even command fire, like Rei could. After all, she was a born miko. The three girls passed the large opened gates without even noticing the ancient warnings written on the exterior walls with human blood or the stone lions carved right outside the main temple.

They entered a dark hall, with only one huge fire to enlighten all the interior, trapped between some kind of short walls made of wood. Somehow, the wildfire kept itself inside those walls, misteriously not burning them down. Once got inside, Mina and Lita and stopped, staring at the writings on the old walls, trying to descipher something, but not understanding wether the words meant some kind of curse or a blessing. Serena walked up in front of the fire and saw a miko's outfit, formed of a large white shirt and the long red trousers that came with it. Next to them was also laid a cloth piece, once meant to hold one's hair tightly, so that it could be touched by the flames while praying. Rena leaned over to the clothes and grabbed the strange cloth. Without turning back to the others, she said:

"She was here."

"Do you think she was found by her brother?" Lita asked somewhat scared.

"No… out communications are safe and this is not an actually easy place to find… I mean, no one would simply pass these whole woods just to get here." Rena answered.

"One would and could if given the necessary motivation." Mina said while staring at the mysterious writings… which seemed ancient, yet strangely familiar.

"Why would she go!" Lita was almost going to have a fit. "I mean, we didn't seem to have scared her and we did tell her she is more than welcomed to stay with us… Why would she just disappear like this?" the Amazonian burst out, ready to kill someone or destroy something.

"Maybe she felt scared and ran away, thinking that we were probably either going to treat her like her brother did… or that we were going to ask something from her, in exchange for allowing her to live with us." Mina suggested and glanced from a puzzled tall woman to a very focused young blonde.

"Or maybe she saw something in the fire…" Serena said with her eyes captured by the flames' dance within the four wood walls. She seemed so absorbed by the magical burning dance that she didn't even hear when Lita asked her if she was feeling alright.

"Rena!" Mina shouted in her face and positioned herself between the wildfire and the Serena, but the girl was still transfigured, having almost blacked out.

"Fire…" she heard Lita mumble one moment later. Feeling already sweaty and still trying to wake her sister-in-law up from her dangerous day-dream, Mina spoke back to Lita, while shaking the younger blonde as hell.

"Yes, Lita! I know… we are in a fire temple after all!"

"No!" the tall woman's voice suddenly gained energy. "Outside, the temple is burning! As in the whole bulding!" she said a bit scared and ready to carry both the blondes out if necessary. Aware all-of-a-sudden by the drowning air, Mina glanced outside and saw the whole garden and the other walls on fire. Still, instead of running outside, she grabbed Serena and started pulling her deeper in the temple with all her forces. "Mina, what the hell are you doing?"

"If I am right, than we will be safer inside the temple than outside it!" she shouted back and signalled the auburn-haired woman to come next to them and give her a hand with their younger friend who was still stuck inside a dream. As soon as Lita reached them, the two started pulling together and even managed to motion the absorbed girl further inside the temple and from the wildfire that was now reaching almost the ceiling, as if something had commanded it to grow stronger and taller. That image scared the hell out of Mina, but for the sake of her two friends she had to keep herself calm and to seem to be controlling the situation.

They had almost reached the furthest wall, when, suddenly, the fire simply exploded, uniting itself with the flames outside, in what used to be the gardens of a fire temple. The blow sent both Mina and Lita through a thinner wall and outside in the forest. Still, Serena had remained in the same positioned, still trapped in her dream, not noticing anything from what was going on around her.

Regaining consciousness, Mina found her wounds pretty bad, for they hurt like hell. She managed to get up a little and look in the former temple's direction: instead of three large roofs and walls of wood she saw a huge fire that was consummating everything and was already heading for the woods that had once hidden with so much success the temple.

Trying to get rid of her blurred vision, Mina managed to distinguish the fire dividing itself and allowing a dark man to pass inside it, to the place where Rena stood unmoved, captured by the burning view. Mina recognized the man on the spot and would have wanted to scream something to him, it the carbon dioxide hadn't made her dizzy and brought her near to faint. She fell almost unconscious back on the solid ground, only after noticing Lita few metres away: she was in worse shape than her because she had hit a tree and she had a bleeding head wound. She glanced back to the flames just in time to see Darien Shields, Rei's infamous twin brother taking the blonde in his arms and passing through the flames together, appearing to be some sort of fire lord and the fire his servant. Before passing out completely, she heard his word only words inside her mind: "Kane's sister for mine. Tell him that we'll be in touch!" His voice sounded ordering and Mina would have shot back at him if she had had the necessary strength. She would have also noticed his sarcastic tone if she hadn't blacked out completely, falling in the dirt of the burning forest. This had definitely not been a good day!

"Get one of the infirmery beds ready."

"Everything ok, Darien?"

"No. She wasn't there, but, thankfully, I've run into some old friends of mine."

"Shall I also send a team down there?"

"It would be preferable."

"Alright, they're on their way! See'ya soon." The male voice ended and a continuous beep announced Darien that Zack had closed his phone. He closed his too, threw it on the car seat in his right and then glanced on the backseat, where a young blonde woman slept almost peacefully. Darien returned to the view in front of his car, started the engine and drove away from the forest and back into the city. It was finally time for old "friends" to reintroduce each other.

Loved it? Well, even if you did or didn't let me know! I need reviews!


	5. Mental pain

A bright light, much brighter than she could stand, flashed in front of Mina's, forcing her grimace in pain… both the light and the hole she felt in her back made her feel a pain she had never thought she could stand without completely blacking out. She managed to open her eyes, feeling extremely vulnerable, like she had never felt before, and noticed above her one of the divices from the hide-out's infirmary room, the same where Rei had been treated earlier that week… only this time, she was on the surgeory table and not the black-haired girl.

She started moving her eyes and saw the blurry face of Amy, their sweet and genius doctor. Fear and kindness were filling her childish features, making Mina understand that something was not right with her. She could see Amy's lips moving frantically, both she couldn't hear anything. She knew that she was probably laid on a large and comfortable table, but she felt as if she was flying in mid-air. For the first time, she could feel a sharp pain in her ribs, much stronger than the previous ones and she tried to shout out for help. She soon found that impossible, because her throat was filled with something and because using her vocal strings seemed highly unlikely at the moment… the pain was too powerful.

Feeling her breath cutting itself from her lungs and literally slipping away, she managed to move her head, wanting to shake that feeling a million miles away. Managing to move, her eyes suddenly cut the glimpse of a scene that was taking place few metres away, behind a glass wall: on another similar table, a Lita with her clothes ripped out and filled with blood was standing unmoved on the surface, with some kind of tube inside her mouth, appearing to not even breath. For the first time, Mina remembered what had happened to her and tears filled her blue eyes, just at the thought that her strong Amazonian friend was in danger of dieing… or, even worse, already dead.

She felt like ripping herself away from all the machines she was connected to, getting up from the bed and going to the unconscious young woman, shake her and force her to come back. But, as much as she wished for all of those to happen, she couldn't… the pain was far too much to bare.

The last thing she saw before falling back into unconsciousness was the picture of a tall man with dark brown, almost reddish hair and blue eyes leaning over Lita and trying to pull her away from deaths' claws… after that… nothingness.

Rei stood at the tall window of one of the apartments she had managed to buy without her brother knowing at all and looked outside, making sure one last time that she hadn't been followed of found. She felt sorry for those she had just left behind, but she couldn't just let them enter the battle Darien led against her. It was far too dangerous and she didn't want something bad to happen to them. They had showed her too much kindness and she thanked them with all her heart… but she couldn't let them interfere.

Pulling completely the curtains and making it impossible for anyone outside to glance in her apartment, Rei sat on a large couch with a beautiful and expensive blanket thrown over it. She occupied almost the entire surface of it by laying down it's full length and allowed her thoughts to drift away for the first time in that day. Everything had started normally, down at the temple… until she ran away and made sure to lose her track in the woods and make it impossible even for that fast guy in Kane's team to find her… Jade. Slowly, her mind replayed pictures of him inside her head: the evil blue eyes, his playful smirk and the angelic blonde hair. Every feature of his indicated him to be either a playboy or a thief… and he was both. Still, Rei couldn't help but smile at the memory of his wanna' be flirts. Sure, she hadn't pass through the whole "boyfriend" thing during high school because she was too busy trying to keep herself alive, but she didn't mind. Boys weren't exactly an element from daily life she would miss. Still, Jade was kinds' cute and Rei had to notice and admit that.

Then there was Amy, with her shy and generous smile. She really was an angel and the miko was sure that she had earned her place in heaven a long time, now. She had managed to impress her with her kindness and skills from the first moment… that and the big glasses and pijamas with mice pictures on them. Further away, she thought at Lita, the amazon woman who baked incredible cookies and pretty much did all the house-work around there, and the incredible gorgeous former assassin, Nick, who happened to have more than a mere interest in astronomy. Indeed, the two would form a weird and deadly couple, but a beautiful one, nevertheless. And, last but not least, was Kane, the leader, and his two beautiful blonde girls: the chipper and wise wife, Mina, and the hyper and still unexperienced young woman, Serena. At first, Rei had considered both of them a pair of ditzes with a huge luck for men. But then, she found out that Mina was truly the boss' and knew how to earn respect from the others even without her status. She was strong enough to fit a queen and not the mistress of a group of bad-writtens necessarily. Still, she was good at her job and extremely possessive over her hubby. And she had all reasons to be! He was a living god, with a stunning body, face and attitude. He could be pretty much every girl's dream… but he always came back to his woman, after every mission, in every evening, knowing that their place was together… forever. Still, there was his sister, who had probably been a huge problem for the two lovebirds… until she grew up and, tired of seeing them together all the time, left Kane on Mina's more than capable hands entirely. In addition, she was strong enough to exit a fight in one piece and get to safety…

"They are an outstanding team…" Rei mumbled while chopping down some chicken wings and the salad that came with it. She looked up from her plate and stared at the fireplace in front of her couch, finding herself fast enough trapped in the burning flames and opening her mind for one more vision… But what she saw was something she would have never conceived… until now…

After a long black-out, Serena finally managed to pull her very scrumbled self together and open her blue eyes, glancing around her and trying to understand what had happened to her, how she ended from the fire temple along with Lita and Mina, in the middle of a large bedroom, laid on a bed, alone. Getting up she realized to her surprise that she wasn't tied up. Stretching as if after a long sleep, she got up and started investigating.

Without much noise or at all, she paced around the room, noticing the adjacent large bathroom, the huge closet filled with clothes that she had never seen before in her life and the large windows which showed her a rather large and beautiful garden with carefully cut bushes and trees. Still, beyond that, pretty much nothing could be seen: it was almost as if the house had been built in the middle of nowhere.

Ripping herself away from the view outside, the blonde turned around fastly and met the silhouette and eyes of Darien Shields, right in front of her, with their bodies almost touching and staring down at her with disgust in his dark blue orbs. She could feel his breath touching her skin and, at the contact, she shivered and then almost froze herself in that position, staring up at him with widened and scared eyes. She knew who he was and what he was capable of.

"If it's not Miss Serena, Kane's little sister…" he said and his voice dozed off, making the girl tremble. She tried to back away, but his eyes locked in hers seemed to somehow order her body stop and force it to obey.

"Darien Shields…" she managed to mumble. He leaned more to her and gave her both frozen and burning look, that she couldn't fully understand. "Where am I?" she asked, feeling herself returning to her boldness.

"That is of no importance. You're here until your dear brother returns me my sister."

"Hmph, that's the plan?" she rose an eyebrow almost in mockery. "Then I'm of no use to you!"

"Explain your words!" he commanded sharply, leaving her no space for questioning.

"Rei was at the temple, but took off before we got there! If she would have still been there, then you'd have found her… but she wasn't anymore…"

"How do I know this is not some cheap trick?"

"You hypnotized me somehow… that must have given you a partial ability or reading my thoughts…" Rena's voice drifted off, as if she was embarrassed with something. She did not know how to react around a stranger who was perfectly aware of her abilities. She was afraid of him now more than ever, having met his true powers. Next to him, she was a mere human… Staring up at him, she noticed that he was silent and gazing at the landscape outside the windows, as if she was never even there, in the first place. As the silence continued, her gaze became more and more annoying. After a while, his eyes shot down at her. He was lgaring but she wasn't afraid anymore, and that shook him entirely. She was staring up at him, just like a child captivated with some new toy or object that she really wanted to touch, to feel, to understand.

"What are you doing?" he asked on the same tone, frowning at her sight.

"You are just like her, aren't you?" she simply asked, her eyes never leaving the detail she was so fascinated by in his dark orbs.

"What are you talking about?"

"All that talk about Rei being the weird one and you your father's perfect heir was a lie, wasn't it? You are just like your sister. You are just like Rei. You have the strange power over the fire, maybe even the same visions… you are truly your sister's twin bother." She ended in a whisper, never noticing the first moment when his strong hand took hold of her slender and fragile neck, not letting go of it anymore.

"Mina, Mina can you hear me?" a voice broke away the last remainings of dreams as she opened barely her eyes, in order to see who the disturbing person was, and her mouth, in order to send him to hell.

"Jade?" she asked on the faintest voice possible, barely then noticing how sore her throat was and how weakened her body felt. She tried to get up or even move, but stopped when she found it both painful and useless.

"Thank God! Do you have any idea through what you and Lita put us through? And still do?" he sounded as if he was about to freak out any moment now. She managed to open her eyes wider and even to swallow in dryness.

"Lita… Where is she?" she asked suddenly scared, remembering what had happened in forest. "She was injured badly… and she was far from me!"

"We know, we know!" Jade said, a little softer than before and stopped her gently when she tried to get up, by pushing her shoulders back on the bed. "I'm not sure what's going on inside, but both Ames and Nick are there… Don't worry, Ames is the best at her job and Nick will make sure that nothing will happen to his sweetheart!" Jade assured her. In normal circumstances, Mina would have burst into laughter, but now she almost burst in tears.

"Is it bad? What happened?" she almost begged for an answer.

"I told you I don't know!"

"Where's Kane?" she asked the third time.

"He found and brought you here along with Nick. Then, after settling you two in here, he left like a mad man. I think it might have to do with Serena…"

"Darien took her!" Mina announced and the blonde man's eyes widened incredibly, almost ready to pop out of his scull. "And Rei wasn't there… I think that's why he burnt down the temple and took Rena…"

"Yeah… that plus the fact that he hurt Lita and you! You know how possessive the boss is!"

"I just hope that he doesn't do something stupid…" Mina said as her mind started drifting away.

"Well, I just know that right now I wouldn't want to be Shields! When boss is gonna' find him, that will be his last day on Earth!" Jade said with a sadistic smug on his face, trying to cheer Mina up, but managing only to stop her from crying… momentarily.

Driving crazily through the empty streets of the city, in the middle of the night, with the rough wind playing with his silvery strands exiting a black helmet, Kane was trying to take his mind away from Mina and Lita and actually manage to put a plan solid enough to bring Shields down below the ground.

When he had heard the about the fire, he had prayed for the girls to have already left the temple, but when he had seen his wife laying unconsciously on the cold ground, badly injured, he felt like having a dagger stabbed directly into his heart. He ran to her and only caught a glimpse of Nick doing the same thing, but with Lita, who was appearing to be even worse. When they noticed their weak pulses they thanked God for that and simply took off in their cars, carefully not to hurt even more their precious cargos.

One hour later Mina seemed to be doing just fine, while Lita was approaching death with secure steps. That was another blown for him, but expecially Nicholas, who had found more than just a friend and an excellent cook in the amazon-like young woman. Unable to stand much more of her or Lita's blood, he ran away and left Jade in charge, for the assassin-astronomer was already to deep in his grief and concerne over his auburn-haired love. He threw himself on his motorbike, put his usual helmet on and drove off, as fast and far as he could, trying to get his head clear and plan Darien Shields', his once very good friend and now enemy, destruction.

Yes, that was going to be a hard plan to put in practice and a painful experience… but not as painful as having the love of his life almost killed and his baby-sister kidnapped by Rei's twin brother. And there was Rei, whose appearance had been as misterious and unexpected as her departure. Kane felt somewhat betrayed by her disappearance and very confused about it as well. He was sure that she wasn't in Darien's custody, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered to take Serena with him. She had simply fled, maybe thinking that she was a problem to their group or just because she was too scared of her brother to remain for a longer time in one place. Still, she now represented a problem too.

Suddenly, Kane stopped in front of a large building, appearing to be formed only of glass walls. It was a modern kind of building which brought insecurity to almost anyone entering it, but could easily catch everyone's eyes. And then he perfectly understood what he had to do: Darien had taken his sister and now he had to play the exact same game back at him. Next on the list was finding Rei… and trade her for Serena.

So, I guess I'm finally back… after a while, true! I'm thinking of introducing the twins' father, but I'm not very sure about his character. So, if I have any faithful readers out there, please give me some suggestions. I already have a basic image of Darien and Rei's father, but I'm not very sure about his appearance or even behaviour. So, don't forget to click the submit box below and give me a hand with it.


	6. Carnal pain

Hello again, readers. For those interested of you, here's yet another chappie from this fic. Enjoy... Oh, and I as much as I'd love to, I don't own sailor moon.

* * *

Darien stared outside the windows, gazing over the city's tall building, very far away, almost appearing to be near the horizon's line. Sometimes the fact that his mansion was so far away from those buildings annoyed him, sometimes it saddened him, but always made him feel much safer than he would be in some huge and expensive apartment downtown. Yes, he would get faster to his corporation, but he would also constantly feel endangered by all the other human creatures surrounding him. He hated it here, though… he hated it because he was alone… but, then again, he had made his own destiny…

"Um, boss?" a voice broke away the silence and forced him to look back, at his most loyal employee: Zack.

"How is she?" he asked only after glancing around the young man and returning to the view outside.

"In pretty good shape… I must admit that she was close to die, but she proved herself to be more than just a simple girl… She's pretty resistent…" the wavy-haired man said as he arranged better his modern glasses on his nose. He did not like what his boss had almost done to the girl earlier. He nearly chocked her to death with his bare hands… something very strange, considering Darien usually put others to do his dirty jobs. Still, he had heard something about the girl having done something to his boss and he was sure that it was true… He had never seen Darien Shields as angry as today… and he wished never to see him like this ever again either. It gave him all the chills in the world.

"Of course she's resistent… she's Kane Lewis' younger sister." He mumbled, finally allowing Zack to know who she truly was. Nodding his head in silence, the blonde ended.

"I'm still going to order the doctor to keep an eye on her, but I mainly came here to let you know she's fine…" Darien nodded as well and allowed Zack to leave the entrance with no more glances, words or gestures. Thinking at the rage wave that shot through him and forced him to grab Serena Lewis' throat with the clear intention of killing her, he felt a deep pain inside his chest. He now understood how wrong was to try and revenge on that young girl for something that was given to him by mother's bloodline. Yes, he was what some would call a fire priest, he had his sister's powers, but, unlike her, he kept this as his most important secret and never let out even a whisper about what his potential abilities could do. His fight had now reached high limits that he couldn't just throw away or play with. And the freedom of his sister did more than shake these limits. He had to find Rei… and fast!

* * *

Amy passed for the thousandth time by the window which gave full view to the infirmery room where Lita had been settled in the past few days. And for the thousandth time she saw Nick staying by her side, with absolutely nothing strong enough to get him out of there. She sighed deepely, remembering how he totally refused to spend him time anywhere else than inside this room. It was tragic to see him acting like this… but it did have a strong sense of romance. Right now it was more than clear for everyone that these two were going end up as a couple and stay that way. That thought made Ames smile sweetly and carry on, to her own job.

While walking around the hide-out's hallways, her mind drifted away and she started thinking for the first time at her own life. Yes, she did love the people she lived with, but her dreams as a child had always been for her to meet some gorgeous and brilliant guy and marry him. And those dreams never left her head… they just hid for a while and waited for that hormonal moment to come out. She felt a bit lonely for not having a sweetheart. Everytime she looked at Kane and Mina she couldn't help but wish for a relationship like their's, in spite of the furious arguments they carried from time to time. In the end, they would always forgive each other and carry on with their lives and romance. She had always considered these two a sort of mother and father for the entire gang and she respected them for the being capable of calming down Lita, stopping Jade from making something very stupid or even Serena from whinning on Friday night because she had no idea what to wear in the clubs.

Captivated by her own thoughts and not really paying attention to her whereabouts, she suddenly stopped in the main area, a sort of huge living-room with all sorts of computers, desks, large sofas, large-screen TVs and comfy armchairs. She glanced around to see it empty, which was very unusual for their group, but understandable giving the circumstances.

"Hey Ames!" a voice she knew all-too-well brought her back to reality, making her almost jump in surprise. Looking across the room, she saw Jade dressed up to go in the city.

"You're going to look for Kane?" she asked, already learning not to be shy around him anymore and noticing the leather jacket he never got bored of and the common black jeans which allowed him to run even faster than he normally could.

"Yeah… With a bit of luck I might actually find him before he does something extremely lethal or stupid… or both…" he mumbled and arranged his jacket over a grey shirt he wore. His clothes were extremely weird for his looks, making his Blue eyes seem darker and his blond hair almost ridiculous. One could expect form a man with his features to be some sort of mama's boy, or a geek, or even an angel. Well, Jade was everything but. And still, he had managed to survive out there without ever having to paint or cut all his hair down. The mental picture of a bald Jade made Amy chuckle and even blush a little. "What?" he asked, eyeing her suspicious. She stopped and turned suddenly serious, as another crazy thought haunted her mind. "Ames, you okay?' he asked, while approaching her, by now already worried. Too many weird things had happened and he wanted to make sure than no one else was going to be injured. Mina and Lita harmed and Rena kidnapped had already been too much for that week. His action surprised Amy, but not enough for her to back away.

"Can I go too?" she asked, almost even surprised by her own voice and words. Startled, Jade stared at her dumbly, almost with an opened jaw.

"Are you sure? I mean, it's a though world out there… and I won't be exactly riding in the expensive areas… if you get my meaning…"

"I know… but I could help you track him down with my portable computer… and maybe even give you a hand in calming him down… or if he is hurt…"

"By the way!" he cut her off. "Don't the girls need you?"

"Mina is for some time now out of any danger and, in Lita's case, it's just a matter of time until she comes back entirely. Plus, Nick's doing pretty good… considering what had happened in the past day…" her voice drifted away.

"I'll tell you what! You've got exactly ten minutes to get ready…" he started, but by the time he said the last word she was already flying to her bedroom. Jade gazed at her trace, amazed by the speed not even he could reach when he was late to some date. "So don't stay too much in front of your closet!" he yelled, loud enough for her to hear him. Sighing, he wished for Amy to hurry up, remembering pretty good what was happening every time Rena or Mina (who was even worse at the fashion thing) wanted to go with them. If they were to leave at ten a.m., the girls would wake up at six, just to make themselves "presentable". In the end, they would look like real models (which Mina happened to be) and that got the worst from Kane, who really did not want other men to drool over his sister and wife. Therefor, every time, he would hit at least several guys on the streets or in the clubs, who had either asked out one of his favourite blondes, made indecent proposals, touched the forbidden fruits or simply stared at them drooling. Well, the man had to be possessive with such… possessions.

Before he could finish that thought, a flushed Amy showed up next to him. Looking down at her, he saw her dressed in sort of two piece costume made of jeans jacket and trousers and a white top with something wrote on it, wearing some comfortable shoes and a small bagpack trown on her shoulder. Unlike other times, she wore glasses, which made her look a veritable student. She looked up at him, smilling and then took off to where their garage was. Giving her one last glance, he ran to her and into the adjacent hall.

* * *

A loud noise filled entire apartment, forcing Rei to jump from her place and back away. Still, she did not have the time to vanish from the room, before the door was opened widely and a silver-haired man burst inside, breathing hard and carrying a deadly look in his eyes. Backing away as much as she could, until she hit one of her covered windows with her back. The man in front of her was Kane… but one that she couldn't understand anymore… one almost inhuman. Without a word, he reached to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards the door. Fighting back for her freedom, Rei pleaded:

"What are you doing? Kane, let go of me! Kane!" she shouted almost desperately, knowing that she couldn't outwin the man's strength… not his anger.

"You are coming with me!" he roared more than spoke.

"I thought you understood why I left! You know my brother! He'll search the entire world for you and he'll kill you for saving me!" she pleaded, more for his life than for hers.

"I know!"

"Then why are you doing this!"

"Because he hurt my friend, he tried to kill my wife and he kidnapped my sister!" he said and stared directly into her eyes, making her shiver as if he were the death itself. "All for you, Rei! It's my sister for his! Rena for you… And you are coming with me!" he shortly stated and exited the room in a hurry, holding a hand of steel locked on her arm and pulling her after him. In the alivator all she could do was calm down her pulse, think about the man's words and prey for the lifes of those who had helped her in the darkest hours. Once out in the street, she now followed him obediently, without him needing to keep his hold onto her anymore. They were getting near the rather large motorbike, when, from the other side of the empty street another silhouette appeared.

"Nice ride, you got there!" a male voice broke the silence and forced the two to stop and stare at him. Rei recognized immediately the long and wavy sirty blonde strands, as well as the fancy glasses, which hid behind them a pair of extremely green eyes. The half tight half baggy outfit, which made him even taller and a bit thinner was the last trademark, through which anyone could recognize him instantly.

"Zack." Rei said, staring at the face she hadn't seen in maybe years. Fear appeared immediately in her eyes, as she backed away, behind Kane.

"So, you are Shields' guard dog?" the silvery-haired man said in disgust, while measuring the emtpy street from one end to the other. Although it was evening, nobody could be seen there. They were practically alone, in the middle of this huge city.

"She's coming with me!" he merely said, not bothering to answer to the other one's mockery. A pale of wind moved the edges of his long leather coat and showed more of the clothes he wore below.

"You really think I'm letting you leave this place with my sister's ticket to freedom?"

"Serena is alright… and she will be for as long as Darien wants it." Zack bit back, starting already to approach.

"Oh, the rich boy allowed you to call him by his first name? Should I be impressed?" Kane went on.

"You should talk!" Zack muttered and smiled bitterly at him. As if no one knew who Kane Lewis was. "Now hand her over… and maybe my boss will let your sister live!"

"I don't think so!" Kane said, motioned Rei to get back and approached the moving man aswell. Tonight there was going to be a fight. While he walked to Zack, his mind filled with only images of a hurt Lita, a bleeding and hopeless Mina and a strained Serena. That was more than enough to enrage him and give him a clear motivation for death.

* * *

For the second time in a week, Serena found herself laying in the same bed, recovering after the same kind of pain and dizzyness. Trying to get up, she found that the room was spinning around her head with a speed she could not resist to and simply gave up, letting her head and upper body fall on the sheets.

"You shouldn't try to move… not yet anyway!" Darien's voice broke through the silence as his head appeared in her visual range. She stared up and him and her orbs suddenly turned dark.

"You tried to kill me!" she almost shouted, still unable to move though.

"I made a mistake!" he bit back and left her side, pacing around the room, with his back at her.

"What? That's it? That's all I'm getting from you after trying to kill me!" she asked enraged. She had never hated a person like this in her life… and she found the feeling somewhat devastating. She could almost feel his eyes on her being for just a second, before hearing the sound of steps leaving her room. Hard, determined steps. She sighed deepely and stared at the ceiling above her, one second later already trying again to get up stubbornly. She missed her brother's protection… she missed her friends. For the first time in history, she was almost ready to burst into sobs and pleads for her return home. She was maybe even capable of begging. Still, the proud part of her wouldn't let her do that. She had been too strong before to just collapse during moments like these. This was what Kane would call "a desperate situation demands a desperate reaction" type… but, still, she refused to believe that she was that desperate!

* * *

"Look, there!" Ames shouted inside the car and pointed to a street right in front of them. In the middle of the road, two tall men were fighting like hell, both already bruised and bloody. Jade stopped the car few metres away and, in a heartbeat, both he and Amy were out, running towards the place. Noticing the entire scene, Jade only needed to hear Rei's cry for help once. In a flash, he was behind Kane and he held tightly his arms above, unabling him to use them for deadly acts. In front of him, a wavy-haired man had fallen on the pavement, his face unrecognizable, filled with blood, just like the majority of his clothes. On the other hand, the struggling Kane he could barely hold, was pretty bruised himself… which only meant that the guy had fought pretty good too… Staring at his somewhat thin built, Jade could only wonder what the hell he had been thinking while picking a fight with his silver-haired friend.

"Ames, get this guy away while I can still hold him!" Jade barked loudly, feeling how the boss was managing step by steps to loosen himself out of his arms. Amy did as ordered and leaned over to the bleeding man, trying to get him up and finding no success in her desperate gestures.

"Let me go!" Kane growled darkly, making everyone shiver.

"Amy, he works for Darien!" Rei revealed herself from behind Jade and came down to her. For a second, the young and fragile doctor stared at her confused, but returned to her patient who was no longer down on that earth, being unconscious from the severe punches he had received.

"If I do, you'll kill him!" Jade protested and tried to grab more of Kane's upper part.

"He's with that son of a bitch! I want his life!" Kane demanded and managed to set himself free and to knock down the short-haired man who had been holding him until then. He leaned fast down, in order to get the hurt man, but he found Amy's body in between them. Her big blue eyes, still showing the signs of her childhood and innocence inside, were staring both scared and determined up at him, pleading, asking, begging.

"If you do this, you won't be better than him. You'll be just like Darien! Do you really want that?" she rose up a her voice, ready to suffer the consequences of her actions… whatever those might be.

* * *

Hope you liked my new chapter and that you'll have enough time to write down some words for me in a review. Also, I've updated "Beyond death" for those interested. See'ya'll next week! 


	7. Acceptance

Hey again! In lack of reviews (and I do mean "lack"), I have decided not to put the twins' father in the story. I would have liked some words from my faithful readers about the fanfic though... Well, life sucks, you don't need me to tell you that. I mean, how could it not suck when I don't own Sailor Moon? Because I don't and I really regret it...

* * *

"If you do this you won't be better than him. You'll be just like Darien! Do you really want that?" she rose up her voice, ready to suffer the consequences of her actions… whatever those might be. Staring up at him, she saw his froze eyes, glaring down at her and especially at the man she was currently protecting. For the first time she had seen him truly angry and ready to commit murder easily… and she had been afraid of him.

"Get him out of my sight before I kill him!" he spoke icily, but Amy could already feel that he was controlling his impulses once again and he was starting to calm down. Of course, it was going to take a very long time for all that rage to go away. The short-haired girl nodded fastly and turned to the bloody man, running a very fast check-up on him. She was soon joined by Jade and, after making sure that the stranger wasn't going to bleed to death she allowed the fast man to take the other blonde up on his shoulders and carry him to the car. Behind, a thick silence fell between Rei, who was merely watching Amy's hands doing her magic and exchanging an occasional glance with Jade, and Kane who was catching his breath and trying vainly to calm down his pulse. After the three were already moving towards the car, the silver-haired man turned the young woman and said, this time on a much more normal tone than before.

"I hope you've already understood that you're still coming with me… us!" Rei simply nodded and followed him in silence, towards the motorbike. Staring at the back of his head, she let out a breath of air, thanking God that there were people such as Amy, who could calm down true wildfires, such as the group's leader. She would have to thank the doctor herself later. One last worried look could be seen on the raven-haired's face before she put on her helmet and hid her features away.

* * *

It had been the second day since Nick had refused the first time to leave Lita's infirmary room, or even the side of her bed. Or was it already the third…? He had constantly watched her, praying for every heart beat, almost begging for the tall woman to open her eyes and assure him that she was indeed alive and well. Without closing as much as one eyes during the previous nights, he had finally broke down and was currently fallen asleep, with his head on Lita's bed, his hands still clinging desperately even in his sleep onto hers and the rest of his body settled in a large armchair, right next to the bed. It could have been a romantic, but sad picture for anyone who would have entered room… but no one did. It was almost as if this once chipper place turned into a graveyard, with no one to run or talk on the hallways, watch TV or surf the net in the living-room or even to sleep 24 hours a day in some hidden bedroom. The entire hide-out had fallen into a peaceful silence, undisturbed even by the sounds of received e-mails.

Inside the room, only the machines connected to the amazonian's body were making some particular noises from time to time. Half on her bed, half next to it, Nicholas drew few deep breaths, revealing the fact that he was sleeping for the first time in days and that he was indeed beat. Once with the drawn breaths, his chest would rise up a bit from the mattress and give the impression that might have woken up and ready to jump from his position. But every time he would exhale and his back would return to the original status.

Suddenly, a small move made him recover from the depths of his unconsciousness and return to reality. The movement had been almost imperceptible, but he had felt it and it had woken him up. Cracking open his tired blue eyes, he could see his beloved chef's head moving slightly and he could hear her moan. Ok, if he hadn't been very sure on the movement, now her moan had definitely woken him up completely. He was exhausted, but the only that mattered was that Lita was finally recovering.

"Lita… Lita can you hear me?" he asked gently as he got up, as positioned himself above her face. Another deep breath and moan made him believe that her answer was "Yes". "Lita, open your eyes." He almost begged and, as if she had been magically ordered, Lita opened her dark green eyes, staring directly above, into his blue orbs. Her pale face grimaced in what wanted to be a smile and her eyes were filled with gratitude and… something else.

"Nick?" she asked barely above a whisper, but he heard loud and clear. He smiled as well, staring down at her and ready to fall on his knees and thank the stars for bringing her back.

"Thank God!" he said loud enough, drew away and throwing himself in the armchair, grabbed her hand and started kissing it madly, as if he wanted to make sure that she was indeed there, alive and well.

"What happened?" she asked, starting to recover her voice and sight… not to mention control over her muscles.

"Oh, Lita, when you went after Rei, you found that she wasn't there anymore. Anyway, Darien Shields attacked you. Mina was hurt, but not as bad as you were and Rena taken by the creep, so that Kane would trade Rei for his sister." Nick explained in a breath, almost going mad and leaving Lita scared and more confused than before. "Lita, you have no idea how bad you scared me!" he shouted and came down, leaning onto her bed and staring at her with wide-open eyes. "I mean, I thought I was going to lose you… God, what was I going to do without you… without your cooking or your punches!" he started practically hallucinating. "I mean…" he would have wanted to continue, but got stopped by the woman's still pretty strong arm, who easily grabbed his almost limp form and brought his face in front of hers. Then she stopped, with him right in front of her, staring one into each other's eyes mutely… without a breath. She waited for his action… and that came. Almost immediately, he supported his weight above her by holding his hand on each side of her, and came down, trapping her mouth with his and not letting go very soon. When her lips felt the contact, Lita let go of his hand and collar, and entangled her fingers into his brown hair, pulling him with the little strength she still had, down, onto her.

From the doorstep, Mina had watched the entire spectacle quietly, after wanting to burst inside the room and embrace her friend. Still, when her sixth sense told her that there was going to be more than just an explanation, she kept her mouth shut and observed the two caught so deep in each other. She suppressed a big grin when she saw the two and turned around, leaving the infirmary for the hallways and trying to get hold of the others.

* * *

"So, when are you going to let me out of here?" a girl not too tall, but not short either, with long blond hair and currently angry blue eyes stomped inside Darien Shields' home office, demanding for her release. It had been one day since he had wanted to kill her, but stopped himself before succeeding and she had recovered pretty fast. The man simply glanced at her, his dark eyes throwing flames.

"When you beloved brother will hand over to me Rei and Zack." He answered and returned to his papers. Still, she wouldn't give up. She came up to him and forced him to look up at her.

"You know how my brother works… and you know he won't just serve you up your twin sister, nor your employee." She was, by now, as mad as him, especially after having felt his level of anger. He was like a walking bomb of emotions, but always refused to show them. Slowly, he got up from his chair, closed the two buttons of his suit's jacket and simply walked past the fuming blonde, exiting the room. Behind him, she followed like a hurricane, jumping in front of him, right in the doorstep and blocking his only way out. "Why are you so afraid of admitting your true origin and powers? Why are you so turned on against your own kind… against those who are just like you?" she started a merciless interrogatory.

"Get out of my way!" he growled and leaned a bit to her, sticking his orbs in hers.

"I can feel your anger… it's so old and worn off… and you've still kept on feeding it all these years! Why?" she asked. Suddenly, he lowered his arms and grabbed her hands, squeezing them painfully. She winced in pain, but went on. "What has Rei done to you when you were kids that made you hating her so much… or at least simulating the feeling of hatred?"

"Do you really want me to end what I've started yesterday? Do you want your death so much?" his tone left little place for doubt that he wouldn't go on with the thought of her murder.

"What has your mother done to you?" she suddenly asked, this time her eyes turning clear blue and carrying fear and curiosity inside. His breath stopped and his eyes shot out almost real flames. She had hit that point that he hated in his life… The point that started all. Regaining his control one moment later, he pushed her on the floor, clearing the exit. He glanced down at her fallen body without any last words and then left her alone… again.

* * *

Kane entered silently the bedroom he and Mina shared. It was a large room, big enough to fit his desk and personal computer and her closet filled with an immense amount of clothes, not to mention the huge center bed, and the two bed tables positioned on each side. On the left wall there was a door leading to an adjacent bathroom, also a pretty large place. The lamps and ceiling spots were shut down, but he didn't need the light in order to get around his own room. He had learned a long time ago to get used to the darkness and to their room.

Easily, he took off most of his clothes, put aside his boots and went straight to the bed. However, when he got inside it, he had the surprise of his life.

"Is this how your greet your wife, fearless leader?" a voice he knew all-too-well broke the silence as a silhouette started moving in the same bed, near him. He stared into the darkness, to where the voice came from, of course after having identified the owner, who was the only person capable of calling him "fearless leader" on different tones and get away with it.

"Mina!" his voice was a mixture or sadeness, joy and love. Add a little lust on it and you got the Kane during his honeymoon.

"The one and only!" she presented herself and switched on one of the lights. In a second, Kane found himself in front of a Mina with raveled and long blonde hair, clear blue eyes, extremely few signs proving that she had just left the infirmary few hours earlier and only wearing one of his shirts, which could be more than easily be classified as large in her case. For the first time in days, the man actually smiled and his sight turned warm. She also smiled, but with that vixen and delicious smile of hers, which absolutely no one could copy. She was his one and only indeed. Not waiting for her reaction anymore, he leaned to her and covered her upper body with his, glad that her arms opened immediately, allowing him full access to her chest and embracing his wide shoulders. Right here, with his ear stuck above her heart, listening to her pulses, with his arms around her waist, caressing her back and with her head above his and her long hair forming a curtain around them, he felt the happiest man in the world. Only in the arms of his goddess he had ever felt the true taste of love every time they were together, the bite of jealousy every time some guy was staring at her and the instinct of protectiveness when she was close to danger. Yes, she was indeed his one and only love of his life… Mina, his wife.

Sighing content that, at the end of a rough day, he could come into her arms and hide away from the reality, falling inside a beautiful dream along with her, he leaned more on her, forcing her to fall on her back, all on the bed and him above her. Getting up in one elbow, he stared down at her and took the strands out of her face, also discovering all over again her inviting chest and rest of her perfect body. Without a word, Mina's hand traveled at the back of his head and let the strands of silver hair to fall down from the pigtail he usually wore. Then, entangling her finger into his hair, she pulled him down and kissed him. Content with her gestures, he let himself spoiled by her pale fingers and started taking over her.

In the following hours, the two spend their time admiring one another, confessing their feelings and taking advantage of the fact that they were more than just alone. Kane had a dark feeling that this might have been their last night together and he wanted to make it more than worth. Through his touches and mute language, he confessed everything to Mina, who could only embrace him and assure him that every time he'll ask for it or not, she'll be there, ready to support and to follow him even to the farthest end of the world.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Zack opened his eyes and found this simple task more than painful. Still, when he regained his sight, he also found it highly awarding. Although he could feel the pain in his ribs, shoulders and face, he found himself staring senseless at a young girl working at something inside the room he was. Glancing around only for a moment, before returning to the lovely girl, he noticed that he was laid down on pretty large and comfy bed, inside a very equipped room, for this to only be a hospital. Then, the painful memories returned and understood that he was most probable inside one of Kane's mysterious hide-outs. That made him even more to try and smile for the nice girl wearing white robe over a pair of simple jeans and white top.

"Hi there!" he said and startled her, making her jump nervously and turn around to see his beaten face. That was the first time she saw exactly how green and attractive his eyes were and just how boyish a beaten smirk could look like. A part of Amy wished for her and her blush to be miles away from the man, while another part was determined to keep up with her profession and act absolutely normal around the man. And still…

"Hello… You must be Zack, right?" she asked, trying her best at keeping the crimson red away from her cheeks and her tone, pulse and sight normal.

"Right… and you would be…?"

"Amy." She simple answered, followed by a gap on silence.

"Amy." He repeated, as if he were in some kind of trance. "That's a beaufitul name… Amy." He continued, receiving a puzzled look from the girl. Approaching, she smiled nicely.

"You know, the sedatives I gave you are pretty strong and they still haven't worn off from your blood system." She explained, as she came closer and allowed him to fall back on the pillow again.

"Really? How can you tell?" he asked with wide eyes, just like he were a boy told that fairies didn't really exist.

"Because, right now you would have felt a hell of a headache." She said and smiled affectionately.

"Right…" his voice drifted off and he started laughing dumbly. He was on very strong painkillers.

"Kane has very rough fists that can do a lot of damage."

"Indeed he has!" Zack cheered as if he had held a toast previously. Then, he turned silent for the several minutes, staring absolutely captivated at the young girl. It was as if she looked like some mythical creature, like a mermaid, or an angel. Still, the creature he seemed to be looking at must have been extremely beautiful, because he was practically day-dreaming, with his emerald eyes half closed. "Are you my protective angel, by any chance?" he asked several moments later. She looked start-struck at him, as if he had grown another head. In the next second her face was red like a tomato.

"I don't think so… sorry!" she asked, feeling right now very uncomfortable with her position.

"Then would be so kind to fill that position in my life?" he asked, more than serious, considering his condition, staring calmly at her. Amy didn't think that her eyes could get wider, but apparently her orbs received even more impressive sizes ever since he spoke the last time.

"I…"

"You don't have to answer me now… I know, it's a very difficult task… especially in my case. But, you've been the most protective person with me I've ever met… So, let me know when I get up and I'm not sedated of your decision… my angel…" he ended as he lost consciousness and drifted away into a peaceful and painless sleep, all thanks to Amy's medicine and mere presence. Left alone again, the teenager could only stare absolutely amazed at the hurt man in front of her… Darien's right hand, who had most probable helped him taking Rena and harming the others… the man whose life she had saved from Kane's wrath not even twelve hours before… the first person to have asked her such a weird question.

* * *

Rei found herself sitting in front of one of the training rooms, not wanting to enter, but not to leave somewhere else either. She just sat there, staring into nothingness, with a thousand thoughts running through her mind. She had no idea why she had come there… why she had accepted their help to start with… why she ended in this strange group she hurt so much… why they still wanted her there after everything she had done.

"So, how long are you planning on staying there? Not too long I hope!" a voice woke her up from the deep thoughts. Looking above her, she could see Jade's tall body towering her and his blue eyes staring down at her.

"Sorry if I've interrupted you from something important!" she apologized, but her voice was far from a serious tone, indicating more irony than regret. With that, she looked away from him and turned away, ready to leave. She was about to exit the hallway when a determined hand on her arm stopped her. Turning around fastly, her gaze met the blue eyes of Jade himself. She turned around once again and eyes him curiously.

"I shouldn't have hurried you like that."

"I was sitting there for nothing and…this is still your home. You had every right to react the way you…did." Rei said and immediately asked herself why she started having the reactions of an infatuated school-girl around this man.

"It's been a rough week, with the girls either hurt or kidnapped… You have to understand all the pressure we're feeling right now."

"Trust me, I am! That's why I wanted to leave this place in the first instance. I knew that my brother could find and hurt you all. And, considering you guys are the first people that have actually been nice to me in years, I really didn't want to get in trouble because of me." Rei spoke and, after ending, she hid her face from Jade, feeling ready to cry… a feeling she had abandoned years before. To her great surprise, few moments later, she felt a warm hand pulling the black strands out of her hair and lifting her chin. Before she knew what was going on, she was gazing into Jade' incredibly blue eyes and he wasn't thinking about staring somewhere else than into her amethyst orbs either.

"I'm sure that Kane's cooking up some deadly plan, that involves getting Rena back... Now, I don't know about him, but I'm not letting you in Darien Shields' claws again…" his voice drifted off, making Rei shiver with his cold, yet assuring tone. And with that said, he leaned forward and captured her lips into a soft kiss. In a matter of seconds, Rei found his hand away from her chin and wrapped, along with his other one, around her waist, keeping her close. In the same time, almost unconsciously, she lifted her arms and did the same thing around his neck.

This was the moment when Rei was sure that she had found her home… her true home. Not in the bedroom of a mansion and the head of a multinational company, not locked up in a mental hospital, not hidden from the world in one of the last shrines, but here… in a safe hide-out, along with those who were just like her, those who accepted and understood her and, maybe, after a while, those who loved her as well.

* * *

Ok, I'm done! Phew... that took some time. Now I would appriciate mostly if you reconsider and decide to write down some words, not too many, about the work so far. If you love it, hate it, have some suggestions... I'm opened for flames... See'ya'll next time !


	8. Unsuspected reasons

Hey guys! First of all, I'd like to thank illenutza, Minako Aiya, cosmos serenity, srsmoon and amnesia nymph for the great reviews. Thank a lot guys! I must admit that you've pretty much made writing this fanfic worth and, thanks to you and your advices, I'm going to keep working on it. So, thanks a lot once again and I hope that you'll like this chapter and review it as well.

* * *

Darien stood unmoved in front of the tall window, gazing outside at the the city drowned in the night's darkness. In that day's morning he had burst inside Serena's designated bedchamber and ordered her to wake up instantly and get dressed or to get ready to be pulled out of the large bed. For the first time in three days she had not screamed back at him, nor thrown something in his way. She had just stared at him, first startled and then fully-alert, simply obeying him. He knew that his entire appearance and his emotions had probably warned her that it would be for the best not to stand in his way. 

After pushing her on the floor during their last encounter, he had gone straight into his office, where he burried himself in paperwork. It was several hours later when he received a phone call. It was from Damien Restro, also known as Diamond due to his preferences in jewelry. He was a ruthless murderer, usually hired by the rich people who wanted to get rid of their "gifted" or "stubborn" relatives. When Rei started to represent a problem for him, Darien had refused the assassin's services, wanting to at least get the job done himself. He might have wanted Rei dead, but he would have never let her in Diamond's hands… not even her…

On the phone, the killer had told him that he knew of Serena Lewis' presence in his mansion and that he wanted her for himself. This was a warning: Diamond was planning to get to her one way or another.

Knowing that Serena was probably his last chance of retrieving Rei from Kane Lewis, Darien had ended the call without a word, leaving an extremely angry Diamond cut off. He had ordered his servants to pack their bags and didn't shut an eye all night. So, almost like a vampire, he started pacing through the entire mansion, in the darkness, sometimes taking a roll in the old library, sometimes checking some more documents in his office and sometimes even walking in front of the door which led to Serena's bedroom. It was very surprising for him to wake up in front of the bloody door and almost get ready to kncok and ask for permission to get in. He didn't have to knock! This was his house, not hers! He could have anything he wanted… but why did he want to enter her room? Shaking his head, he turned around and went straight to his room, where he sealed himself until the morning.

"What's bothering you?" Serena had asked him while driving to one of his apartments downtown. He stared at her completely surprised by her question and tone: she had actually spoken those words on a concerned and caring tone.

"Why would believe that there's something bothering me?" he asked after a while, when she seemed to want to back out from the potential discussion.

"You've been filled with emotions last night and I've never seen you like that…so far. Plus, I can tell that you've been awake all night." She said on an obvious tone and rolled her eyes. He merely rose a black eyebrow. "So, when are you going to tell me who was on the phone?" she asked, almost in a whisper, knowing that this piece of information will get his entire attention.

"How did you know about the phone call?"

"Your phone rang right when I wanted to enter your office. I heared your few words and understood that you were busy. When you suddenly closed it without any last words, I could feel an immense amount of emotions flowing through you, especially anger. I decided that it would be best to just leave you alone. Until you came and woke me up this morning. We are leaving the house because of that call, aren't we?" she asked and stared directly into his eyes, which he also found more than just surprising. No one else had ever dared before to look right into his eyes and especially not with her nerve. And then he just turned away from her, refusing to see those big blue eyes of hers or to answer her daring question. Like he was ever going to let her know that they had left just to protect her from the terrible assassin.

"So, you're just going to leave me like that in the dark?" a voice woke him up. The same voice he had been hearing in the past few days. Turning away from the view, he met the now furious glare of the young blonde woman. His lack on answers had definitely annoyed her and now she was ready to burst… again.

"What do you mean?" he finally spoke after a whole minute of silence.

"Wow… you still have a voice. You know, I was almost ready to bet that some cat got your toungue." She mocked him and made him frown. "I'm talking about the reason of our departure!"

"You're still with me and you're still safe… and alive… for now." He spoke sharply and returned to the windows, wishing for some miracle that would just make her go away.

"And why is that?" her voice sounded much closer to him than before. Turning again, this time with an exasperated look on his face, he saw her right in front of him, with the same daring stare in her eyes.

"Because I decided so!"

"You're forgetting that I have mental powers… and pretty strong ones too! So, I'll ask again, who called you last night and how come you've gone softy on me ever since that talk?" she dared to go too far, and Darien's hand clung on her arms again, pressing her body onto his and making her wince in pain.

"That is none of your concern! When I'll decide that you'll have access to that kind of information, that'll be the moment when you'll find out exactly who called me last night and for what reason. Until then, I strongly suggest that you remain at your present status: that of a prisoner and nothing more!" he hissed, let go of her, without hurting her anymore and lest the room. Behind him, Serena stared at his track and whispered as for herself.

"I will win against you, Darien Shield… and I will find out just what happened last night… even if that means playing with your mind merciless."

* * *

"So, chief… What's the plan?" Jade asked as he entered the living-room and settled himself in a large armchair with a can of soda in his right hand, looking over at a holographic vertical map settled right in the middle of the room. Kane turned away from the computer he had been typing at for the past few minutes and gazed around the room. Everyone was awaken, altough it was early in the morning, and they were currently filling several armchairs and the couch. His eyes gazed at everyone in part, starting with Mina who was constantly re-arranging her dress and hair next to him, Lita and Nick who were holding hands and leaning to each other, Jade who was busy in emptying his can and Amy who was looking for the thousandth time over some reports. The only ones missing were Rei, who had isolated herself from the others, and Zack, who was still under sedatives at the infirmary. For a moment Kane thought about what he had done to the kid. Had he been too angry and severe? One moment later he banished that tought from his mind and cleared his throat, making everyone pay attention to him. 

"I'm not very sure, but we should find a way of getting Serena away from Darien without much exposure or noise. We don't want to be discovered by him or Darien's guards." Kane said, in other words, asking the other to think of a way to get Rena out of there and not hurt her… or anyone else.

"Are you really thinking of trading Rena for Rei?" Nick suddenly asked, entering the main problem. Immeditaely, Jade left the can away and stared at their leader. Noticing all the burning gazes he was receiving, Kane passed a hand through his silvery hair, exhaling loudly.

"I think we should do our best to find a plan that doesn't involve losing anyone to Darien Shields… Rei included. But, I'm afraid that if I don't have any other choice, I'll be forced to hand her over… for Serena…" he admitted.

"Over my dead body!" Jade jumped from his seat and glared at him. The other five persons in the room stared at him dumbly. This was the first time when Jade actually was against his boss' decisions and plans. It was now that Jade showed the other side of him: the over-protective and criminal one. Although he had always been the joker of the gang, he kept his blood cold and his muscles ready for action.

"Jade! You ok, man?" Nick looked at him, noticing the fast flames in his eyes. He had been afraid that a time like this would come.

"Yeah… what's with the blow?" Lita supported him, sending the blonde man a very questioning look.

"You're not leaving Rei to that son of a bitch again!" Jade more like ordered than argued back.

"I'll do my best!"

"No, Kane! I'll do my best!" Jade yelled back, staring at the leader with wide eyes that pleaded for the raven-haired beauty's life.

"Jade!" Mina said, not believing her ears, with a huge grin imprinted on her gorgeous features. She glanced shortly at her husband, who had an at least surprised look on his face, and returned fastly to the blonde man.

"Kane, you don't understand! I know the hell she's been put through! I know where she's been hid so far and what has happened to her all these years. I know that and I can't just let go back again, but force her to face her brother ever again!" he sounded almost desperate, being in a status no one has ever seen him before in his case. Nick and Lita had remained speechless and were now staring at him. Kane, as well as the other two had his mouth closed tightly. Still, unlike the others, Mina jumped from her spot on the couch and placed herself between the leader and the fast man.

"You loved her!" she screamed happily, pointing a pale finger at him, her eyes almost ready to pop out of her head with excitement.

"I don't know!" Jade suddenly got smaller and threw himself back in the armchair, as if he had just been pointed a large empty space in his life and he didn't know how to deal with it. Mina ran next to him and patted his back in a friendly gesture.

"That's ok Jade! We're just happy this day has finally come for you! For a while there I actually thought you were about to remain a bachelor ladies' man for the rest of your life. Oh, we're so happy for you!" she exclaimed, making Kane wince. She stopped for a moment, noticing that no one else said anything. She turned to the others with a scary look on her face. "Aren't we guys?" she asked, almost biting every word.

"Oh, yeah!"

"Right!"

"You bet ya'!"

"Exactly!" the four said in the same time, gazing at Mina, who had returned to the blonde next to her and smiled widely. Few more ackward moments passed and they all split up, leaving the room behind and turning to other activities. Before leaving for the infirmary, Kane sent his wife, who was still supporting Jade, a curious gaze, wondering what had happened to her that made her so chipper in that morning. Usually she would have been cranky and would have shouted at Jade for the next millennia for his interruption and yells. Still, she was most happy for Jade and Rei to have found a match in each other.

* * *

"Hey, Ames!" Kane announced his entrance inside the infirmary. Amy looked up from the computer screen and greeted him with a childish smile… the same as always. "How's he?" he asked while settling himself on a chair, right in front of her. 

"He'll survive with a few bruises and scars… but time should take care of those nicely."

"Not to mention your healing blood inside his system…" Kane said and she blushed. "By the way, I'm sorry that you had to see my dark side… all over again. You shouldn't have been there… but, in the end, I have to thank you for stopping before I could do something extremely wrong."

"Like killing Darien Shields' closest employee?" Amy asked and her blue orbs looked straight at him.

"That too…" his voice drifted off. "So… he hasn't woken up at all?"

"Oh yeah… um, yesterday, for about ten minutes… but he dropped back into deep sleep almost immediately." She explained, her cheeks suddenly burning up. Having noticed her involuntary reaction, he eyes curiously. Ever since Darien Shields had shown up in the picture, more and more weird things were happening. And not necessarily bad ones either.

"Did he say anything?"

"Well… not much…" she tried her best not to look at him.

"Ames… What are you hiding from me?"

"Well, he asked my name, if he were indeed in one of your hide-outs… and if I would be willing to be his… protective angel…" she said and thought she was about to explode if she got any redder than she already was. Kane's eyes received almost impossible dimensions as he stared at her with the same look he had had while Jade was yelling at him. Indeed, Darien Shields was causing more than just unimaginable things.

"Well?"

"Well what?" her head snapped up and her features carried confusion.

"What did you answer him?"

"Oh, he didn't let me! He said I should take my time… and then he fell asleep again."

"Amy, you do realise that I almost killed him because he was and still is on Shields' side, right?" Kane asked very seriously.

"Yeah… Don't you think that if I hadn't been aware of that I wouldn't have told you about his question?" she asked him on a very normal tone, puzzling him even more than he already was. He shook his head and looked over at her petite figure.

"Ames… if this guy is giving you a hard time or makes you problems… you just have to say it. Don't be ashamed or shy about it!" Kane assured her, with a fatherly tone in his voice. Amy smiled childishly and nodded, letting him know that she will follow his advice. He pointed his index finger at her one last time and then left her alone again. Watching his trail, Amy sighed happily: that was the Kane she knew and loved, the Kane that always protected his territory and always lend a hand of help to those in need. She glanced over at Zack, who was still sleeping deeply. And then she understood for the first time: just like Darien, Rei and even herself, Zack was another lost teenager in this huge world, always searching for something to belong to him, always wanting to belong somewhere. The only difference was that he ended up working for the Devil, while she was stuck in her own piece of heaven. Walking to him, she touched gently his pained cheek and smiled sweetly. Tracing his face features with her cool, yet warm hand, she looked at his closed eyelids. Her face suddenly grew serious and determined and her lips whispered this simple, yet meaningful message:

"Don't worry, Zack, I'll be your protective angel… and I'll help you find that place of yours in this world…"

* * *

"So, what's the word?" a red-head man entered a pretty dark office, with a large, wooden desk settled in the middle of the chamber and a man sitting down on the other side of it, playing around with a crystal glass half filled with some sort of wine. 

"We'll attack pretty soon… Hn, if Shields thinks I'm just going to let go of the fair Serena Lewis, he is extremely wrong. I want her!" Diamond hissed as he looked over at the two other men standing in his office. "What do you have for me, Rubeus?" The man with red hair glanced over at his partner and then answered.

"Nothing… for now! But I can assure you that we'll have Shields' current address by tomorrow morning."

"Sapphire?" Diamond asked the other man.

"I still believe that this is just a waste of time and that you'll grow tired of Serena Lewis just like you did with the rest… Still, against my beliefs, I've searched Kane's hide-outs and possible team members. These are the locations and contacts." The man with dark hair, almost bluish, said and threw on his older brother's desk a stash of files, filled with pictures and descriptions. Diamond nodded his head satisfied with his brother's results.

"Good, I'm glad you've decided to give me a hand after all…"

"Don't forget Diamond! After this, I'm getting the hell out of here!" Sapphire announced his brother for the thousandth time of his last decision.

"Suit yourself!" he answered while the other two were already stepping out of his office, each going for his own mission, of course, given by Diamond himself.

* * *

It was the middle of the night when Serena woke up… again! 

It was already the tenth time in five days when she was waking up from a deep, yet agitated sleep state. She was already sweating and millions of thoughts and dreams were running through her head like crazy. Understanding the reason for her lack of sleep in the past days, she got up from her bed and walked outside her room, going directly to Darien's door. Instead, she stopped mid-way, in the living-room, where she found him barely asleep on the couch, his eyes moving like crazy behind his closed eyelids and his lungs out of breath. He was having horrible nightmares. He had been having those nightmares every night, sending all of his emotions to her and killing her sleep as well. She motioned herself in front of the couch and sat down on it, staring at the evil man in front of her, her eyes trapped on his more than just handsome features.

"Hey! Shields!" she said pretty loud and started shaking him. "Shields, wake up!" she went on, shaking him even harder, but with still no luck. "Darien!" she finally shouted and managed to force him to open his eyelids and reveal his midnight blue eyes… so similar, yet so different than Rei's amethyst ones. He took deep breaths, even coughed, trying to calm down his pulse and the fresh memories of his last nightmare. He tried to get up from the couch and managed to support his body with his two arms, nearing unconsciously his head by her shoulders covered by a simple pink t-shirt.

"What are you doing here?" he asked after a few moments, when finally managed to catch up his breath. Opening his eyes, he saw below his head the dark blue simple trousers she wore and rose his head instantly, finding himself trapped into her blue eyes, darkened only by the lack of light inside the room.

"Why didn't you tell me about the nightmares? You know, you've kept both of us tensed and tired these days." She spoke, clearly annoyed with his behaviour.

"How?" he practically moaned unhappy, instead of talking normally.

"I feel other people's emotions. And that includes you… During the nightmares you feel a lot of things and you also send unconsciously a part of them to me. That's why none of us could get some normal rest in the past week." She explained, while he got up from his place, away from her, walked to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of cold water, in order to cool down his body and thirst. She got up as well and waited for him next to the couch. He leaned in the doorway and looked at her while taking another sip.

"What?"

"How long have these nightmares lasted now?" she asked and stared at him. He could actually read affection and concern on her face. "Ok, I see you're not in a mood to talk tonight." She mumbled. He came next to her and spoke sternly.

"I case you haven't noticed, I'm never in a mood to talk."

"To put it mildly!" she rose her tone and approached her face to his, dangerously close, only a breath separating them away. Realising in what position she currently was, she blinked nervously, looked away, but didn't get further. He lowered his eyes and spoke somewhat uneasy.

"Look, I promise I'll at least try not to dream again… Go to sleep!" he ordered and didn't move and inch. She stared at him few more seconds and then, knowing that he wasn't about to react more, she got away from him and walked to her bedroom. After entering it, for the first time in five days she didn't slam the door, but closed it normally.

* * *

"Where is he?" Kane's voice broke through the whole infirmary, sounding dangerous and adressing only to the wavy-haired man sitting on one of the beds inside. Behing him stood Amy, almost like a guardian, knowing that if he didn't colaborate, Kane would probably lose it again and the barely healed man would end up once again with a bloody face and body. And she definitely did not want to repeat the experience. 

"How should I know?" Zack answered, knowing that both his tone and attitude would get the leader pissed off. Add an evil smirk on a very bruised face and you get a fuming leader. And he did.

"Look, acting like a smart-ass worn't work with me! You either tell me what I want to know, or I'm asking Amy to leave the room, so that she won't have to see me beating the hell out your all over again!" Kane warned him on a pretty calm tone, but with a deadly sparkle in his eyes. Getting a bit back, just enough to feel Amy's silhouette behind him, he lowered his eyes in defeat and spoke.

"Look, I don't know what you want to find out… We were only meeting each other either in his office or down at the mansion… and you know where those are. Besides, why don't your try to find him just like you found Rei?" he asked and rose his head again.

"Finding Rei was pure luck…" Kane muttered, very unhappy with his short interrogation's results. Suddenly, he eyed him curiously and a grin made his impecable teeth visible. Noticing the evil smirk, Zack moved even more backwards, bumping with his back in Amy's tummy. He could feel her a bit surprised by his reaction, but she didn't get back, remaining in that position. "You're also a hacker, aren't you?"

"Yes…"

"How long would it take you to find him in the city?" he asked and glanced at Amy, who was smiling at his plan. Visibly in a mess, Zack mumbled.

"Usually about twelve hours…"

"Good, how about if you have help?"

"Help? No way I'm letting some nerd help me! He'll probably mess up your entire network!" Zack defended himself, making it obvious that he only worked solo. With his grin getting larger and larger, Kane leaned to him and smiled as evil as he could, staring right into the young man's green eyes.

"Actually… I was talking about Ames!" he said and getting back up, saw a scared Amy, blushing like mad and a Zack with a more than content smirk on his lips.

"Well, she's not a nerd and I understand she's had some experience with computers before…" Zack started and turned to her, admiring her body right in front of him. "I guess I could do it in about 8 hours… But I'll need my own computer and access in the database…" he informed Kane, who only nodded.

"Get ready, in half an hour you're getting started."

"Aye, aye, captain." He answered, still turned to the young doctor, gazing at her and admiring her childish features for the thousandth time.

Ok, it ends here… for now! So, I was thinking of introducing some more romantic, or at least normal, moments with Serena and Darien, considering that now he has got used to her. I'm open for suggestions!

* * *

Also, I would like to let you know that I don't plan on getting this longer and longer. So, let's say three or four more chapters and it'll be done… plus the epilogue, of course. So, I guess I'm done for this week too. See'ya'll next chappie! 


	9. The beginning of the end

Hey there, people… Hope you liked the last chapter and that you'll find nice this piece right here… Ok, I'll let you reading now and remember that I don't own sailor moon, as much as I'd love to…………………..

* * *

"Boy, you're lucky!" Mina grinned from one ear to the other. On the other side of the room, in a big armchair, stood Rei, who couldn't believe neither her ears nor eyes. There she was, congratulated by Kane's cheerful wife on her new relationship with the fast man. She couldn't believe it because the impossibly excited attitude inside Mina made her blush like mad. Who would have ever thought that she, Rei Shields, the one who had passed through so many, would blush like mad while listening to one of new friends talk about her and her "guy", as Mina now called Jade. It looked like every one of the girls was finally getting a love-life. Looking around her, Rei glanced at the empty seats which were usually filled by the ones forming Kane team: after years of struggling, Nick finally got Lita all for himself, the fearless leader was already married with the woman of pretty much every man's dreams, Darien's employee had found his angel, literally, in the young and child-like doctor and even she got a boyfriend of her own, who seemed to be much more than just fond of her. For the first time in her life she actually felt that she belonged to something stable, that she belong to a place of her own, that would always give her comfort and protection. While talking and laughing with the enthusiastic blonde, Rei discovered that she loved this new feeling and that she wanted to keep it forever. The only problem that now remained was Serena…

"Are you ok?" Mina's voice suddenly sounded concerned and Rei's eyes turned around, to see a very pale woman, with several sweat drops on her forehead.

"Am I ok? Mina, you look bad!" Rei jumped from her spot and got up, noticing that the blonde was doing the same thing.

"No, seriously Rei, I'm fine!" she waved her arms in defense, but didn't manage to convince the raven-haired beauty. "God, I'm the last person you should be worrying about! As happy as I am with the way things are right now, I can't help but be worried about Rena! I've known her for a very long time… not to mention that she happens to be my sister-in-law. I'm not saying that we always get well, because God only knows how many stupid things she had done and how many times we've had our own fights. But in the end, we've always forgiven each other and…" she didn't get to finish. Turning around fast, Rei heard a slight thump on the floor and saw Mina body collapsing exhausted on the floor. She knew something was wrong with the blonde the moment she had tried to hide her true condition.

"Mina! Mina, can you hear me!" the miko fell in her knees next to her and tried shaking her body in order to get a response. Still, the blonde remained unconscious on the floor, with her eyelids closed and her skin getting paler and paler. "Help! Kane, Jade! Come quick!" she finally shouted loudly, while holding Mina's wrists and shaking her more.

One second later, three men and a woman burst inside the room. Rei looked up with scared eyes to see Kane and Jade approaching fast, with Lita and Nick, both dressed in training clothes, following them. Kane almost threw himself on the floor and asked fastly.

"What happened?"

"I noticed that she was pale and something was wrong, but when I asked her she denied. The next I knew she was down!"

"Alright, let's get her to Ames… she'll know what to do…" Kane tried to hold himself together and grabbed Mina's body, pulling her up in his strong arms and taking off to where Amy worked along with Zack, breaking one of the world's toughest databases. The entire group followed the silver-haired man, all worried about the blonde former model.

* * *

It was the tenth time that Zack gazed at her in the last hour and Amy was already feeling her cheeks go hot and red. She turned away, hoping that maybe he would understand and stare somewhere else, like the computer he was supposed to use in order to track down Darien Shields and, hopefully, Rena as well. Still, she could feel his burning eyes just staring dumbly at her, his green orbs probably admiring parts he wasn't supposed to. That thought made her blush ever deeper and lower her head closer and closer to the files she had been reading, or pretended to read, for some time now. If she didn't return with the information he had asked her for soon, he would start suspecting something. Damn that man for making her think weird things. Two days before that moment her mind was filled with the excitement of ending the final chapter of her equations book and now she could only think at the wavy-haired man's boyish grin and his bright green eyes hidden behind the modern glasses, much different than her own. Then again, he was hot and she was not. Or was she? Ugh, these last few days only made her more confused. Now she didn't even know what she wanted from her life anymore… and all thanks to a more than just adorable hacker with a smile always prepared especially for her.

"You done there, Amy?" he asked his face right in front of hers, while his body was leaned over the same table, but on the other side of it. Suddenly feeling him so close, she refused to rise her head and simply responded.

"Not yet…"

"What? I gave you those half an hour ago and you praised yourself earlier about your amazing reading speed." He teased her while approaching his head even more, with only few centimeters separating them.

"I told you I could easily scan simple texts! You asked me to extract certain information from these papers and that takes longer!" she spoke angrily and rose up her face, which was now red from the anger and not embarrassment. He looked at her with a strange sparkle in his eyes and her appearance suddenly turned shy again.

"No, don't! Amy, you can really be a tigress sometimes… and I liked you tough and all…" He mumbled while staring into her eyes with a gentle and caring look on his face. Amy blushed even deeper, discovering how much she liked his "nice guy" looks. It fitted the slight curls in his hair perfectly, but not the glasses too. "Don't get scared with me… I promise that you have absolutely no reasons to…" he ended in a whisper and leaned to her, supporting his body weight more and more on the table separating them for the time being and getting closer and closer, his eyes never leaving hers, not even for a second. Amy considered this moment almost perfect for her first kiss and even managed to rise herself up a bit too. They were impossibly close now and Zack couldn't wait to taste her. He leaned even more, closing the space between them. However, before he could reach her entirely, he heard her voice.

"Oh, my God! Mina!" she shouted and ran out of the room, forgetting all about the upcoming kiss and leaving behind a Zack who was ready to burst in tears. After staring dumbly at her track, he fell in his knees and looked at the ceiling.

"God, why are you doing this to me?"

* * *

"What happened?" Amy burst inside the infirmary again and ran to the bed which now held Mina's still unconscious body.

"I was hoping you might tell me." Kane said, holding himself calm with all his strength. "One moment she was talking to Rei and the next Rei was shouting for us to come and help her."

"Give me ten minutes and I'll find out!" Amy said confidently and smiled, assuring Kane that his wife was in good hands. Noticing the lost look on his face, the same that he had the moment he found Mina hurt in the woods and Rena missing, she spoke further. "Hey, don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing serious. She must be worn off after everything that happened in the past week or the drugs I gave her might have had some side effects that I forgot about!"

"Thanks, Ames. I know you're best and I appreciate that more than anything." He walked to her and gave her a strong hug, almost a fatherly one, which Amy received and returned with all her might. The truth was that she had always considered Kane a sort of a father figure… and she always loved and respected him for that. Giving him one last smile, she returned to her patient and started immediately her equipment, checking up firstly Mina's vital signs. Kane's eyes wondered to his wife's silhouette while his mind only thought at one thing: Mina was his life… and without her his whole work would have been in vane… and his life worthless…

* * *

For the first time in a week or more, Serena refused by any means to face Darien Shields. Ever since the nightmare incident she had been extremely confused and didn't know what to thing of the tyrant anymore. That night he had looked so human… that night she had seen his normal side… and, most important and painful, she had liked that side of his. That scared her more than anything at the moment… including the possibility of ending in some dark cell at the end of the world. The reality of actually feeling something for Darien Shields gave her more than just chills. It was true that she didn't feel any butterflies in her stomach when she saw him… actually, it more like a strange desire of hitting him in the stomach… or any other parts that could do a lot of damage. She hated hearing his demanding tone and seeing the infinite fire burning in his gazed, but, to her great displeasure, during the last week or so, she had discovered that she was fascinated by that burning and cruel glare of his. Inside that look, she could see beyond the flames, she could see even the child that had been separated from his mother and twin sister and learned how to hate them both. Just the thought of how his father must have treated him during his mother's absence… or how that woman ever had the heart of leaving her son behind, knowing what kind of monster was raising him.

Absently, she got out of her room and started walking inside the house, feeling as if she was alone. And she pretty much was: as long as she didn't ask the creep more questions, he wasn't forced to talk to her. In the end, none of them would say anything… and, although they practically lived in the same apartment, they even barely saw each other. While passing right in front of the balcony door, she saw through the windows a tall and dark silhouette standing outside, staring at the city lights. His face was both enlightened by the moonlight and the light managing to reach their floor from down the streets. She found herself gazing at him, entrapped by his damned good looks, admiring the black hair and the blue orbs which seemed so lost at the moment. Deciding that it was time to finally speak to him, she got outside, forgetting that the nights could get pretty cold and that Darien himself wore a simple jacket over the blue shirt and black suit trousers. She stepped next to him, looking at the landscape he was admiring. Soon, she starting to feel cold, but then his voice spoke and seemed incredibly warm, making her forget about her lack of normal clothes and the cold outside.

"I was five years old when they ran away…" he started and Serena felt a strong emotion rising up inside her. "I remember my mother entering our room and getting Rei dressed. She was sleepy and confused… she had no idea why mother had woken her up in the middle of the night and was asking her to get ready. But I knew… I knew it ever since I saw that look in her eyes… She had always thought of me to be exactly like father: cold, distant, a true son of a bitch. But I wasn't… I was just like Rei… I wanted as much as her to help my mother during their fights, but I also had no power… So I became solid rock and learned how to keep my emotions for myself, never showing. That night, I kept my mouth shut while my mother dressed Rei who was crying and begging her to take me as well, for the simple reason of me being her brother…" he spoke further, his eyes turning like glass, but holding a huge amount of feelings inside. "I saw when they left and I saw the last look my own mother gave me before leaving: she hated me with a passion. She hated so much that she left me alone with him… she left me back, so that I could become my father's true heir. And I did!" he gave a small and sarcastic chuckle. Then, he turned to Serena, who was standing next to him, staring into his eyes. "You wanted to know why I hate, or hated, Rei so much." He concluded and took off his jacket, covering her naked shoulders with it, in order to keep her warm. "I hated her because she had been mother's favourite. She had always loved her better… because she considered us so different… when, in fact, we were exactly the same. I learned how to control my powers and hide them, while Rei exposed her own with pride. When that started happening, I reacted just the way my father had with my mother, just in a less painful way: I locked her away and kept on threatening her that I will kill her. I never wanted to complete my task and I've always hoped that she would just stop and accept me and this bloody world. But she has been stubborn ever since I can remember her." He looked down at Serena again, noticing the tears falling from her clear blue eyes. He reached out a hand and erased several tears, also warming her pale cheeks. She smiled shily and stared at him. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't let her free… just like I couldn't let you be taken by that murderer. Diamond cannot and must not find you… so I'll protect you… just like I tried to protect Rei… and managed to, with the price of her hatred." He ended and looked away, back at the city.

"You mean, Diamond tried to kill Rei?" she asked, amazing the man in front of her. That was not the question he had been expecting.

"Yes… locking her up was the only chance I had so that he wouldn't find her. I also looked for her every time she escaped, because I knew that assassin could have killed her any time. I wasn't able to just let her life be taken like that… Hell, even I'm not that cruel!" he chuckled again and felt a soft had caressing his left cheek. He stared down on his right, and saw Serena looking at him with a strange sparkle in her eyes… a sparkle he seemed to enjoy. Slowly, she traced his jaw and pulled him down to her. As if charmed by some unknown spell, his face lowered, pulled by her hand. A moment later, she was kissing him sweetly… and he was accepting the kiss. Amazed by his own actions, he tried to pull away, but found himself stuck to the young woman and more than that… he found himself liking a bit too much what was currently happening. He closed his eyes entirely and snuck an arm around her waist, the other covering her shoulders. When he felt her arm surrounding his neck he knew where this was going. Few moments later, he backed away and looked at her seriously.

"I can't… It wouldn't be fair…" he wanted to go further, but her finger pressed on his lips stopped him.

"Maybe not for you…"

"Your brother will kill me…"

"Since when do you care about my brother?"

"Since I hurt his wife and kidnapped his sister."

"Details…" she whispered one last time and allowed herself to be kissed, lifted up, settled down and taken completely. Weather she liked it or not, she was in love with the enigmatic creep that had taken her hostage and she believed that she started to mean something more for him than just a way to get to Rei. To her delight and his pain, by the end of the night, she understood that she meant much more for him. For the first time in his life, Darien Shields was taken by surprise and opened entirely his heart and mind to this cheerful and strange blonde. There and then, trapped in each other's arms, the two had finally learned all about love and life.

* * *

"Here are the addresses that you've asked me to find… and here is his current address, where you will most probably find him with your sister." Zack entered Kane office and threw an entire folder on his desk. He then stood right in front of his desk and watched him from distance. Kane glance several times from the man to the folder and back. Rising an eyebrow, he asked:

"Should I take it that you want to be released?"

"Actually…" Zack started a bit embarrassed and took the leader by surprise. "I noticed you've got some nice toys around here… not to mention some network breaches. Things that can be handled, of course…" he explained.

"Is this getting somewhere?"

"Yeah… If you don't mind and have place… do you think I can remain, at least for a while, your hostage?" he asked, almost giving puppy eyes. That attitude scared the hell out of Kane. He stared at the younger man with a dumb look on his face, not believing his words.

"Is my doctor having a good influence on you?" he questioned.

"Well, she may be your doctor, but she's my angel!" Zack bit back, seeming almost jealous.

"I couldn't have said it better myself!" Kane got up with a happy look on his face. "Ok, you're in! But, remember, you'll be watched closely due to your past… oh, and if you hurt Ames… I'll break you're neck… into more pieces that you can count… got that?" he asked with a grin, staring at the younger man, whose face was already freaked out and sort of bluish. He laughed out a bit and then signaled Zack to get out… which he did, with a remarkable speed.

* * *

Amy was checking all over again the entire blood test. It was just amazing… almost impossible. She couldn't believe her eyes. Therefore, she re-ran the test for the tenth or eleventh time now, thinking that maybe, maybe, the result would change this time. When she read the same thing once again, she left out a deep sigh and looked at the sheet of paper hopeless. A touch on her arm made her jump back and yelp. She met the blue eyes of Mina and calmed down.

"Mina… you scared the hell out of me!" she complained like a child.

"I noticed." She smiled tiredly.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping? I mean, you got all of us worried back there… I thought Rei and Kane were about to have heart-attacks. Rei got so scared when you fainted… and Kane was pale as a ghost when he brought you here…" she said and her voice drifted off, while her sight snuck at the paper again.

"Have you done my blood tests?"

"Yes…" she answered, somewhat uneasy.

"Ok… has anyone else seen them?" she asked again and eyed her weirdly. Amy was starting to feel strange, as if she about to do something bad… very bad.

"No… Only me… Mina, Kane really needs to know about this!" the young doctor pleaded.

"No Amy, he can't!" she said determined and grabbed the dark-haired girl's hands tightly into her own. She just shook his head as a definite "no". "Listen to me! Amy!"

"Mina, it's his right to know!"

"Amy! You don't understand, he wants this fight, this war… he's always wanted it… he wants to be a part of it and who am I to stop him from doing this?" Mina asked, while staring openly into the girl's bright eyes, which were now on the verge of bursting out in tears.

"You are his wife! He has a duty!"

"He knows that duty and he will fulfill it! But I can't take his dream away from him… I can't force him not to go there, not to fight… I can't!" she almost shouted, begging for the doctor's silence… at least for the time being.

"What if something happens?" Amy asked, already seeming to agree.

"I'll be fine… You shouldn't worry about me! I'll be fine!" she repeated and smiled between her tears, caressing the girl's cheeks. Amy also started crying and she ran into the elder woman's arms.

"Mina!"

"Shhh, that's it! Calm down! There's nothing to be afraid of anymore!" she spoke on a motherly and soothing tone, receiving the doctor in her arms and comforting her. After all, she had to get used to it pretty fast…

* * *

Darien stood with his head resting on Serena's tummy, both of them hiding their bodies below several dark blue sheets, calming down their pulses and thinking about what they had been through in the past weeks. Serena's fingers were playing with his hair, while his right hand was caressing her covered thy. This was a strange scene, especially for them… but it seemed to normal… so right. Suddenly, Darien turned around and stared at her. She stared back, her fingers unhappy with the fact that they couldn't reach his messy strands anymore.

"You're beautiful… did you know that?"

"So I have been told…" she smiled and blushed, in spite of everything that had happened between them.

"I hope you know what will follow now…" he said, a bit disappointed and even sad.

"I can imagine… Are you sure you have to do this?" she asked and got up in the bed, in the same time as he was. They were staring into each other's eyes with absolutely no more walls between them.

"When the time comes, I will protect you with my life, if it will be the case… and Rei as well."

"Darien!" she pleaded.

"Listen to me, Rena! If something happens, I want you to tell Rei that I had no other choice… that everything I did to her was to prevent more terrible things to happen to her… Ask her forgiveness for me!"

"I won't have to! You'll be there to ask her yourself!"

"Rena! Don't make this harder than it already is!" he almost begged her and added a kiss to try and keep her quiet. Still, faster than she would have wanted, he pulled away and stared outside the windows with a strange look. He seemed to be in some kind of trance.

"Darien, what is it?" she asked scared. He turned to her and answered.

"They found us!"

"Who?"

"Your brother…" he responded one moment later and got up from the bed. "I'm not sure about Diamond…"

"Ok, what's with this Diamond guy? I understood that he tried to kill Rei, but what does that have to do with me?" she asked while she let him take her hand and rise her from the bed as well, motioning her to a closet somewhere near.

"You may not know this, but Diamond's true name is Damien Restro…" he answered and noticed her jaw dropping.

"What!" she burst and stared at him amazed.

"Shall I take it that you know him?" he inquired while getting dressed, this time in a more informal outfit.

"Yeah… he pretty much had a crush on me when I was a teenager… and it turned into an obsession during the years. The guy freaked me out a lot." She explained and put on some casual clothes she found in the huge closet. When Darien's head popped out from behind the door and sent her a curious gaze, she rose her shoulders. "He was one of the main reasons for which Kane took me with him." He entered the room and admired her once again. Noticing his silence and burning gaze, she blushed and came to him. "You know… you could get dressed like this more often… it looks really good!" she smiled at his leather jacket, with matching trousers and black and white sleeveless shirt.

"Yeah… we would make a very cute pair!" he chuckled, which seemed very weird even for him, and kissed her once again. She made quite an impression on him, even dressed with the simple long jacket, which covered the upper part of her baggy trousers with many pocket and the white top she chose to wear. Indeed, they did make a nice couple. Five minutes later Darien exited the apartment holding Serena's hand and walking with her towards the exit. For anyone who knew them, that view would probably represent the approaching of the Apocalypse; for anyone else, they just made a beautiful couple going out to some club.

"Where are we going?" Rena asked as soon as she got in his car and he started the engine.

"I left a trail for your brother, but I think the others might get it too… I want at least to choose the place where we'll "switch" you two." He answered and paid attention to the road.

"What if Damien… Diamond, doesn't appear?"

"Well, then I'll officially consider myself the luckiest man in the world. I'll talk to your brother and explain everything to him… but most importantly, I'll apologize to Rei… that I promise!" he said and felt Serena's gentle nudge, probably a way of thanking him for his change of heart.

"Let's hope for the best!" Serena said and sealed her words with a final kiss after they stopped next to an unfinished building, in the east side of the town, away from any other houses of blocks of flats.

"How long do you think it will take them to find us?"

"Half hour… maybe less…" he said, got out and got hold of Rena's hand, squeezing it tightly and leading her to the building and inside it.

* * *

Was that enough Darien and Serena for you, dear readers? LOL. Anyway, I'm not very sure if you'll find out next time or not about what's going on with Mina, if Zack will finally manage to get the kiss he wants so bad, if Rei forgives her brother or not and if Diamond will take Rena. For the Lita/Neph fans: sorry to keep you waiting, but I promise something special next time.

As I've warned you before, the story is coming to an end pretty soon and I promised a great epilogue… I know, I know… I'm already working on it… Until then, please submit more reviews and offer me your suggestions. See'ya'll next chappie! (Oh, and I'll try to finish this week, but I don't promise anything).


	10. We come one

Hey, me back! Firstly, I would like to thank the only two persons who wrote me reviews for the last chapter. I mean, ok 75 hits and only 2 reviews? I'm losing my self-respect here, guys! So, maybe, if you disliked the chapters so much, you could've wrote me something like "stop writing! It's stupid"…. Or whatever. Ok, so I'm letting you off the hook, this time! But you better review… please? Pretty please, with sugar on top and all?

* * *

Kane's entire gang was settled in the living-room, making the room too small, considering their number. When the silver-haired leader entered the bright room, he saw all of them chatting and making as much noise as they could. After all, this was the night when they were going to attack. Well, not exactly "attack", but pretty close, considering the defensive force they were waiting from Darien Shields' side. In complete silence, Kane looked at each and every one of the, feeling close to understanding them perfectly.

He started his small analysis from the far left corner. There, he saw, sitting in a large and comfy armchair the oldest of his friends and his number one partner in crime: Nicholas. In spite of the years spent around the world, in hiding, he was still wearing his wavy brown hair long and sometimes held in a tail at the back of his head. For the first time in years, his blue eyes sparkled with joy and love for life… and someone else. Tracing his sight, Kane saw the amazonian young woman standing on her feet, in the middle of the room and several meters away from the armchair. She was staring back at him, smiling and throwing some kind of pillow at him from time to time. He would just catch it and throw it back at her, with the fake intention of harming her. But everyone, including the two, knew that Nick was absolutely incapable of hurting Lita in any way.

On the couch stood Rei, whose body was supported by Jade, and she was currently talking to Mina. She felt pretty comfortable with the blonde man and he wasn't even thinking of letting her go very soon. In spite of the wicked smirk he always carried on his face, the dark-haired beauty had managed in the past days to make him stop his always joking and mocking attitude and change to a somehwat more mature version of himself. Everyone knew that the change was at least impossible, or very hard, but Rei had agreed in front of everyone to at least give her best shot in her attempt. You can pretty much figure out Jade's reaction to the news.

Kane had to admit that Rei was fitting in quite well, much better than he had expected. And so was Zack. Eyeing the strange, yet brilliant hacker, Kane noticed the grin he always wore wehn nect toAmy and how his world ended up revolving around the shy doctor. He found their game child-like and also quite amusing. The truth was that he had never imagined Amy in these kinds of situations, but she managed on her own to react pretty well, being able to restrain the young man from any stupid remarks or other wrong doings. He loved to tease her and she loved to answer him back, every day surprising him more and more with her level of knowledge. Although they weren't a couple officially, Kane was sure that it was going to happen very soon. Zack proved his interest in her on a daily basis and she would always blush madly at every word of his on that subject. Still, the two were pretty calm in that moment, Amy sitting on the couch, a bit further from Mina, and, as usual, looking at some plans she had printed earlier, withZack sitting on the floor, next to the couch, leaning his head on her knees and staring at a copy of her own papers.

And last, but definitely not least, he found himself staring at Mina, the beautiful, sometimes so serious, other times so childish, woman he had fallen for so many years behind. He gazed at her, captivated by her long blonde hair and the simple way she had always preffered to the fancy hair-dos, entrapped in her clear blue, which always seemed so opened, but managed to keep so many secrets hidden. She had the soul of a woman in the body of a goddess and she knew how to take advantage of her remarkable features and powers. She had considered herself for a while the true "freak" in their gang, but they all knew that it wasn't true. Persons such as Mina were very rare and couldn't be classified as "freaks" under any conditions. Noticing her eyes staring back at him and the charming smile she was giving him, he couldn't help but remember her face, in so many circumstances: when they had met for the first time, then the second time, their first fight in a bar, during a party, their first kiss, stolen by him in a sunny day behind her school yard, the first battle against forces which wanted both of them dead, the moment when they met Nick, Lita and Jade, their secret wedding and all the days that followed, all filled with both joy and sorrow. She kept on smiling and he finally got the hint. Exiting the dark corner, from where he had been watching all of them, he came next to her seat, but remained standing. His hand took hers and he glanced at all of them. Noticing his arrival as well, Nick cleared his voice and managed to grab Lita and pull her in his arms down in the armchair, also stealing the pillow from her and telling her not to whine. Jade looked at him from behind Rei's shoulder and Zack simply shifted his position, this time leaning even more on Amy' knees, extremely happy than she did not ask him to stay somewhere else.

"I guess all of you know that tonight we're going to take Serena back… and that I don't plan trading neither Rei nor Zack for my sister. As both of them had stated, they would like to remain here, with us and I've noticed that you've welcomed them much better than I had expected. So, I formed a plan that, with a little luck, should help us get Rena back, by the end of the night. Now, I want all of you to listen carefully and understand what each of you has to do." He stated and all nodded their heads, letting him know that they understood completely and were ready to follow his exact words. "Good, now, we'll make Shields believe that the original intention of switching Rei for Serena still stands. That's why Rei is going to stay with me all the time, out in the open, where he can clearly see us. Thanks to our new hacker here, we've managed to find where Shields has been living in the past few days. I have also managed to decide along with him where the "switch" will be made. Now, I'll need you all to listen carefully to these directions, because I'll need you all to follow them exactly!" he added and motioned all of them towards the table further away, where the city's plans were spread around.

* * *

Lita growled… again. Nicholas glanced to her and a second later his eyes returned to the road, his hands securely wheeling the rather large car he had chosen for the mission. He was supposed to assist Kane from several levels above and shot Shields or anyone else, in case something didn't go as smooth as they all wished. Lita was going to stand guard at the back fence and let them know if they were going to have more guests than anticipated.

Ever since they had learned their missions, the tall young woman couldn't stop frowning, or glaring, or growling… or doing anything else to show her strong emotions. Unlike her, Nick had managed to hide his feelings quite well… until he couldn't take it anymore.

He suddenly changed the course and pulled the car in a parking lot, somewhere close. He let the engine still ignited, but stopped completely the car. He then turned to her and met her confused emerald eyes. Oh, how he loved those eyes…

"What's going on?" she asked when she didn't get a response for her gaze.

"You've been unhappy with this plan from the beginning and have been fusing all over the place since we left the hide! What is it?" he asked, managing to hold his emotions partly inside, not wanting to burst in front of her like that.

"I don't agree with the rendez-vous point, I don't agree with faking this switch, I don't agree with you taking that position, I don't agree with this entire mission!" she nearly yelled, exasperated already.

"Lita, whatever happenedto that wild spirit of yours? I've seen you jumping into suicidal situations and exiting them in one piece. Don't tell me you've suddenly gone soft and that you don't trust me enough for my part!"

"It's not that!" she bit back and crossed her arms over her chest, looking anywhere else but not at him… or his dark blue eyes.

"Then what is it?" he asked, this time on a comforting tone.

"Why did Shields suddenly left the house with Rena? Why did he wait for so long to make the switch? And how come I've heared rumours about Diamond calling him?"

"You think he'll bring in Diamond in order to catch us all?"

"Why not? It's not like we're all buddies with either of them…"

"Alright… then why didn't he hire Diamond in order to kill Rei so many years ago? Why did Shields always wanted to keep the assassin out of his family business?" Nick questioned, glancing at her from time to time.

"Maybe he found some sick pleasure in hunting Rei down and trying to kill her!" she exclaimed and stared already tired at him. Returning her electro-shocking gaze, he answered.

"I doubt it… And I seriously doubt that Shields wants to kill his sister. If those were his true intentions, he would've done it a life-time ago… not wait for so long and allow her to team-up with other specimens, such as us… No, there's something else going on here…"

"And it's just a matter of time before we find out what…" Lita whispered and stared in void, not focusing on something particularly.

"Why are you like this?" Nick's voice was heared again after some time and she looked his way. The next moment, she lowered her eyes and even blushed a bit.

"Because whenever I carried those suicidal mission, as you call them, I didn't have… you…" she confessed and a weird sparkle appeared in his eyes. "I guess I'm scared for you and I don't want you to be in any danger…" she whispered further.

"Lita!" he said and all his existent feelings for her were concentrated in those simple letters. He suddenly leaned to her, took her chin in his fingers, turned her head to him and kissed the life out of her. Their separated several very long moments later, and simply stared at each other, breathless. Nick would have wanted to say something more, but her lips cut him off… once again…

* * *

"Do you think he won't come?" the silver-haired man asked as he walked through the thick darkness, to the place where he and Shields agreed to make the switch. The black-haired woman who walked next to him rose and eyebrow and gaze at him.

"My brother? Highly unlikely! I bet he can't wait to torture me some more…" her voice drifted off.

"Don't worry, I won't let him do that to you anymore… Otherwise, I'd have a very angry blonde man in my team, who would be capable of killing me during a rage crisis." He chuckled.

"Jade?" she asked and he gazed at her, below his eyelids.

"Who else?" She blushed and looked away. "Don't tell me you don't know about his nice performance at one of our meetings, the other day…"

"Yeah… I found out soon after it was over…"

"Well, don't you have anything to say in your defence, Miss Shields?" he asked jokingly.

"What could I say? That I'm happy I've finally found a place of my own and a man who cares deeply for me? I don't have to say all that… I'm sure that you can all notice it in my words and gestures…" she replied and shot him a wondering look.

"Yeah, but sometimes it would be nice to hear it from the person you care for him or herself… Take it as a very valuable piece of advice from a married man…"

"By the way… how long do you and Mina go back?" Rei finally got the chance of asking this very "important" question.

"Off the record or official?"

"Both."

"Well, we've known each other for maybe even ten years or more, we've been dating for eight and married for about four or five…"

"Wow!" Rei simply stared at him, remaining speechless. "That's a loooong time…"

"Well, for me, it seemed to pass pretty fast. I mean, a couple of years ago I was very satisfied with this leader of rogues title, but now I can picture myself surrounded by family and friends, calming down, maybe leaving the country and starting over some place else…" he honestly answered.

"Hmm, and by family, do you mean kids too?" she narrowed her eyes and smiled wickedly.

"Sure! My family may not have been great or close, but they've still taught me that one of the best ways of entering history is reproducing yourself. And I must admit that I quite enjoy the process of…" he stopped, just in time to see Rei madly blushing and looking away. "Sorry…" he apologized quite embarrassed, understanding that his mouth had started speaking without him a while back. They entered the unfinished building's perimeter and continued their walk in silence, until, maybe one minute later, Kane announced. "There they are!" Rei stopped as well and looked up to see her brother and Serena, waiting for them at the end of several stairs which led to what was supposed to be a main hall.

"She's not restrained…" Rei couldn't help but notice with loud voice. Kane glanced at her and watched his sister.

"Something's not right… She's just standing there, not even trying to fight her way out…"

"It's as if she wants to be there…" she concluded as confused as she could be and followed the silver-haired man when he started walking again, this time more determined than ever to get the answers he needed and wanted.

* * *

"What's the word?" a man with red and spiked hair aksed on the phone. He was currently sitting in his car and gazing outside his window, at the deserted bulding, having noticed the four people inside it.

"We go in now!" the voice on the other line commanded and nodded, closing his cell-phone and exiting the vehicle, in the same time with another man from a similar car right behind his. He had very light blonde hair, almost silvery, and stood right in front of third man, this one much more silent than the other two… almost as if he wasn't real. The three exchanged a single common glance and started walking to the building, where they were planning on making quite an impression.

* * *

"Kane!" Serena exclaimed as she ran to him and jumped in his arms, carrying a huge smile on her beautiful features. He welcomed her warmly, but kept staring at the much too quiet and calm Darien, who simply stood there, watching them.

"What's going on?" he asked and Rena backed away from his arms, her hands still on his, but gazing up at his handsome face. Rei came from behind him and looked directly at her brother, who, for the first time in years, looked back at her, but didn't glare or pull out some gun to point at her.

"Kane… I know what you're thinking, but it's not like that at all!" Rena spoke, almost without meaning and he barely gave her any attention: he was currently watching Darien like a hawk.

"Then what is it?"

"He's letting Rei go… and me too!" she said with sparkles in her eyes, forcing her brother to gaze down at her incredously and Rei's eyes to fill with tears.

"Is this true?" she inquired. Darien suddenly became interested with the floor beneath him, but managed to answer a mumbled "yes". "Why! After all this time, why?" Rei burst out and came up to him, hitting his chest with her fists. For the first time in her life she was free, but felt emprisoned by this man worse than ever. He was her brother, her twin… and also, her executioner… until today. "Damn you! You did this all to me, so that you could back away now! Do you have any idea what you've done to my life!" she shouted, tears emerging from her exotic amethyst eyes.

"I know… I know and I regret… I can't believe I'm saying this, but I regret it all!" he said and stared into her eyes, not moving an inch and prepared to suffer everything that was coming down his way.

"And you really expect us all to just stand here and buy this whole crap?" Kane burst and glared at the young man who had once been his best friend. "How can you even state something like this, when we all know just was kind of lie it is?"

"Kane, don't…" Serena wanted to ask him to stop, but got fastly cut off.

"No! How can you defend this guy? You heared what he did to Rei! He tried to kill her and he kidnapped you!" he spoke loudly, not believing what his sister was trying to convince him off.

"I know! And I also know that he really means his words! Kane, I read him! He's honest!" she almost shouted and stared at her big brother, rising herself a bit on her toes. The silver-haired man backed away a little and looked at her as if she was not his sister anymore… and still she was…

"What happened?" he whispered, touching gently her right cheek. Rena looked at him with tears in her eyes, thanking God that he could understand her… and trust her as well. Still, there was going to pass a whole lot of time before the others would even manage to accept Darien Shields on the same side, but trust him. But time would arrange for that to happen… eventually…

"You have to believe me, Kane… I'm telling you only what I've known for myself…" she whispered back and watched him lovingly. Rei and Darien were staring at each other, one in shock and the other regretting his entire life until that present moment. Suddenly, Rena backed away and her eyes widened in shock: she was getting a bad feeling.

"What is it?" Darien asked, noticing her movement.

"Diamond…" she managed to say, but stopped the moment a male voice filled the entire space.

"Is right here!" They all turned to the entrance and saw the devil himself, with his brother on one side and the loyal employee on the other. He was grinning from one ear to the other and walked a bit to them. "Hello, Rena! Missed me?"

* * *

"Took you long enough!" Jade muttered as he saw Lita's tall body approaching his position. They were currently hiding somewhere at the far back of the property, standing guard, just in case some of Shields' men might have followed their boss and were ready to give the other a hard time. The second moment, a strong fist hit his head at full. "What the hell was that for!"

"Talking too much and about things you don't even know!" she bit back and glared at him. Sticking his tongue out, he settled back, deciding that it was for the best not to disturb further the amazonian woman. Oh, how he knew what was waiting for him if he managed somehow to annoy her. "Yeah, that's really mature Jade! Sometimes I wonder how Rei can even stand you around her with all your flirting "instincts" and other things… you tend to do…" she mumbled, finding difficulty in even speaking about his habits… bad habits.

"That's cuz she needs a real man…" he answered and shot her a playful look.

"Oh, yeah! Real man, alright!" she rose and eyebrow and stared at him in disbelief.

"Just cuz now you're taken, it doesn't mean you have to set up all your standards after that dear star-reader of yours!" Thud! Yet another punch very well aimed.

"Well, I see you started again… I don't have to set up standards anymore… Nick's more than enough for me!" she stated proudly.

"What if doesn't work out by some minuscule, but existent chance?" he asked and this time backed away in time, using his past skills to duck. Curiously enough, the punch never came. She just stood there, staring at him with her hands on her hips.

"Do you really believe that?" a bit of disappointment could be heard in her voice.

"As a friend of you two?"

"Yeah…"

"Nah! What the hell, he's been chasing like mad and he would have to be an idiot to let you go now, after he finally got you!" he assured her with a smirk… one his most charming ones.

"What if doesn't work for me?"

"Are you kidding?" he burst. "Impossible… you're much too caring for your own good… and he trapped you, alright!"

"Why, Jade! I think that's the most considerate thing you've told me in years." She thanked him with a smile.

"Don't get used to it!"

"Jerk! Talking about instincts… I've got a bad feeling… as if something extremely bad is going on." She got up and looked around.

"You want to take a peak inside, make sure everything's ok?" Jade pointed to the building. "Look, if those guys had come, they would've been here by now!"

"Yeah… still, Nick didn't send us any signal…" Lita's voice drifted off. "Let's go… just to make sure." She entered through the back and he followed her, his eyes carefully scanning the surrounding area… just in case.

* * *

"You didn't tell him, did you?" Amy stood in the doorway of Mina and Kane's bedroom, looking at the young woman laying on the bed, several meters away.

"No… but, then again, you knew that, didn't you?" the blonde said and looked up at the much younger girl.

"I thought you might have changed your mind in the last moment…."

"Well, you know me…. I never break any promises… Don't worry, as soon as he gets back I'll tell him the good news." She said quietly, studying bored a magazine she held in her lap.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Amy asked one last time, aware of the fact that she was bugging the married woman, but wanting to check everything. Mina let out an exhasperated sigh and looked at her. Rising her arms in defeat, the doctor walked backwards. "I know, I know! I'm going to let you rest now…" she smiled and walked away, down the hallway. She wished for Mina to as least manage to take a nap, but she knew that it was impossible. She was too worried for her husband… not to mention the new quantity of hormones inside her body, which was about to alter her lifestyle big time. Walking inside the huge living-room, she noticed Zack watching very interested one of the computer screens and sometimes tapping down very fast. His glasses were pulled up completely, showing his face in an intelectual style, rather than modern, as before. Without looking up at her, he felt her presence coming right next to him and staring at him rather than at the monitor his eyes were glued on.

"Is Mina pregnant?" his question sounded incredibly loud in the unmoved air, as he looked at her for the first time, staring right into her blue eyes. She blinked and looked away.

"How did you know?" she inquired a moment later.

"I heared a part of your conversation before Kane left… That, among other things I've noticed around, led me to that conclusion… or the one according to which Mina was dieing… but I highly doubt the second one. How long?"

"Very recent. She's progressing well considering the circumstances, but it's still much too early to be sure completely." Changing his tone and attitude, Zack suddenly smiled.

"Kane will sure be very proud."

"I hope so!" she declared and sighed. Noticing the silence, she glanced at him and saw his features betraying in interior conflict. "What is it?" she asked, suddenly feeling a sum of chills down her back.

"Let's also hope that Kane survives long enough to find out… Diamond found them! Get Nick now!" he announce and shook her a bit, managing to wake her up from the intial shock. She ran to the main control room, leaving him behind to stare at her trail and then back at the screen.

* * *

Loud shots could be heared and a feminine scream. Diamond stood above Kane, with his gun pointed straight at his heart. Suddenly, heavy weight threw him on the floor and he woke up with none other than Darien Shields above him, hitting him like mad.

"Kane!" Serena shouted and she landed next to him, looking at his hurt arm.

"I'm fine!" he pushed her away. "Rei, get her out of here!" he ordered, but allowed himself to be lifted by the two women first. "You have to go!" he shouted and pushed the two on the ground, ducking one of Rubeus' bullets. Taking off his own gun, he started shooting at the red-head and his buddy, Diamond's brother, who were hiding behind some columns on the other side of the room. He managed to get a glimpse of Darien almost killing the assassin with his bare hands. That was the first moment when he actually started believing that his former friend changed indeed. That thought made him smile for a second, before starting to fire again. He could clearly see that Sapphire was making his way to where his brother was almost getting killed and that Rubeus was planning a force attack.

Suddenly jumping from his place, Kane ran to Darien and covered him, while grabbing his right arm and pulling him away from the other white-haired man. He now saw Rubeus and a Diamond filled with blood coming towards them.

"I didn't know you could be so strong…" his voice drifted off as he saw Darien's knuckles covered in the assassin's blood. The two looked into each other's eyes for a second.

"You covered me…" Darien said and bowed his head for a second, as a "thanks".

"You did too… One day, you'll have to tell me how my sister managed to get to you…" he said and the two started firing their guns at the others. Moving backwards more and more, they hid behind some walls for a second and Darien talked again.

"You know Rena… she won't stop whining until she gets what she wants…" he shrugged and the two smiled.

"You don't have to tell me… On three?"

"Let's just shoot them!" the two nodded, got out and fired with all their might.

* * *

"Rei, down!" Serena shouted and aimed the foot at the man's head. He dropped down, behind Rei and the two recognized him instantly. Sapphire, Diamond's brother. He quicky got up and managed to duck some more kicks from the blond, hit her and made her land on the cold ground.

"Hey!" the priestess made him turn. But when he did, he received quite a surprise. He right palm attached to his cheek and gave him a hell of a burn, by using her birth powers. Forcing him down, she ran to Serena, grabbed her and got her out of the building, down in the yard. They looked back, noticing the four men fighting for their lives. The two had tears in their eyes, but they'd be damned before actually crying like little girls… for their brothers.

* * *

Kane received a full hit in his face and, in response, he jumped on Rubeus, taking him down and forcing something rather large to exit his jacket: a detonator. His eyes widened, but he didn't have enough time to react, for the red-head quickly got up and managed to hit him again. On the other side, not too far away, Darien and Diamond were still on the verge of killed one another. Both with bloody faces, but the second one far worse than the first. Darien searched Seerena with his eyes and, when he found her, gave both her and Rei a last reassuring look, right after kicking the hell out of the silver-haired man. He searched for Kane and saw where he was looking: the same detonator. From the other side of the room, Sapphire appeared with his face covered in burns and blood. His cold eyes were set on them and his gun securely pointed in the same places.

"Don't do it!" Kane growled. But it was too late. Before either of them became constient of it, a huge explosion dezintegrated what was built of the construction… and those inside.

Rei saw the explosion being ingnited and wanted to run to them, through the fire, both to her saviour and her brother. But, before either she or Serena could take even a small step, from somewhere above, Jade landed in front of them and took each one in an arm, running far from the fire with both the girls. It took an impressive amount of strength from him, but he did it… for those he loved.

Serena heared Rei's pleadings and cry when the bomb went off. She discovered that she was too heart-broken and tired to understand immediately what had just happened. She wanted to kill, destroy, fall on her kness and beg. Still, the only thing she was capable of was blacking out. The last thing she felt was her own body sent up in the air by the explosion's shock wave. Then nothing.

* * *

Mina fell hard on the floor, crying like mad. She wouldn't let anyone approach her or even try to talk to her. She smashed her fists onto the hard floor, forcing the blood out. Her hair was fallen from it's usual bun, falling around her, with her bangs hiding partly her angry and extremely pained features. She was crying for the one she loved desperately, on the floor, in front of her own door. The door which led to her, no, their bedroom. She rose her eyes and looked at the large bed. Her angry gestured calmed down, but the tears started falling even in a larger number. She just stood there, hopeless, faithless, loveless… staring at the room she had shared for so many years with the man she loved ever since she first laid eyes on him, although she had never admitted it. Her right hand touched her still flat tummy instinctively, trying to reach the life that was growing inside her. The life born our of their love… their beautiful and unique love.

She could hear far away the sounds inside the infirmary. Jade and Lita had come back with Nick, who was severly wounded and it was not yet known if he was going to make it through and the two young women unconscious, but not in a bad condition. At the back of her mind, she realised how much this hurt Serena and Rei… just as much as it hurt her... almost… She also hoped with all the heart she was left that Lita wasn't going to lose the love of her life, like she had. She didn't want anyone else to pass through the same hell… it was much too painful. And she didn't want Lita to carry even more pain than she had so far… just like her.

So, she remained there, watching incapable of anything their old room, tracking every detail, remembering every moment shared with him… still loving him like mad. Her drowned eyes looked down, to where her hand was resting. She now lived only for that life… that child… his child…

* * *

I know, if the last chapter didn't suck, this one did for sure. I was kind of stuck in a writer's block these days (you see, I don't just write fanfics), so draw your own conclusions… Anyway, if you have something, hell anything to say, please review. Cuz… this is like the end… See'ya'll next fanfic… 


	11. Epilogue

Hey guys! Thanks to my few reviewers (you know who you are) and I hope that my final chapter will manage to get some more attention from all of you and maybe some words, letting me know if you liked it or not. I don't mind if you flame me, as long as you write something down. Well, enjoy…

* * *

Few months later…

A beautiful young woman, with an impossible long blonde hair stood up on the tall shore, staring at the huge ocean laying in front of her, reaching the far horizon and welcoming her with a beautiful blue colour. She just stood there, admiring the great amount of water and allowing the wind to move her strands from time to time. This was the first place that had actually managed to calm her down partly in months.

Noticing that the sun was gone from the sky and that the darkness grew fastly, she tucked her body better in the warm coat and began returning to the house she shared with her friends. The large coat was long and looked like a cloack, managing to keep the blonde woman warm enough, considering the decreasing temperature outside. While walking towards the house, she touched her swollen tummy, where a life was growing inside her. As if feeling the gentle touch, the baby inside moved a bit, somehow assuring the mother that it felt nice. A boy, Amy had announced her during the first months of her pregnancy. That moment, tears, both of sadness and happyness filled the woman's blue eyes, thinking that now, that child was the only family she still had… That child and Serena, her sister-in-law, who had stood by her side every moment, ever since…

Once again, the blonde woman lowered her gaze, walking on the darker and darker streets, trying almost desperately not to cry out more than she already had. She started walking faster, knowing that probably the guys would be worried for her and that they would go out and track her down. She had to give them all the points in the world for taking care of her in the past few months. They all acted with a lot of care and understanding, asuming what she was passing through. And she thanked them for their support every single day.

Walking further and further, she didn't notice that she was alone on that specific street all of a sudden. Trapped in her thoughts, she also didn't notice when a dark silhouette appeared behind her and pulled out a gun, aiming it straight at her.

"Stop right there… Mina Lewis!" he ordered, forcing her to pay attention and turned around, making her blonde hair fall from the unusual bun and cover the black material of her cloack. When she turned around, her blue eyes widened in shock, noticing first the gun and then the man's face features…or what had remained of them. She drew few steps back, but another warning from him stopped her from going further.

"Sapphire…" she managed to mumbled scared. She knew that the police had only found two dead bodies after the explosion, registered as Damien Restro and, an employee of his, Rubio, but she had never imagined that Diamond's brother actually managed to survive the explosion.

"Let me guess: you didn't expect to see me, right?" he asked and pointed at the terrible scars covering half of his face. It made him almost unrecognizable.

"You're alive… How?" she managed to whisper, clinging her hands to her belly, which didn't seem as large as it really was, thanks to the coat's size. The only thing in her mind at the moment was saving her unborn child… that and nothing else.

"Call me lucky, if you want… What can I say? Sorry for your loss?" he asked on a mocking tone and pointed determined the gun straight at her. Mina believed she had seen her whole life replaying right in front of her eyes that moment. Her hands clung almost painfully on the swollen tummy and only one word came to her mind… one word she had always used in the crucial moments of her life… one word that always saved her… a word like a beg, request, even prayer… "_Kane_". She shut her eyes tightly, still not believing that she was about to be killed…she, of all people. She heard a bullet being shot and waited for it somewhere inside her body. Still, the shock, the pain… they never came. She opened her eyes and stared at the ground below her. A noise was heared in the tight air and she understood that it had been Sapphire's body the one which fell in the end. Looking up, she saw a tall silhouette, most definitely belonging to a man, with broad shoulders, dressed in a completely black outfit, which she couldn't figure in the dim light. Still, she felt a strong pang in her heart when she looked up, to see strands of pure silvery hair caught in a small pigtail with a piece of black material. Her eyes widenes impossbily and her eyes shedded tears without needing to be ordered anymore by the brain. Damn those pregnancy hormones. The man slowly put back the gun in it's place and turned around. The first thing that Mina saw was a long scar covering his right jaw. Then, she saw a nose she knew all too well, two silvery eyebrows and a pair of cold lavender eyes, which turned warmer only at the sight of her. Gasping loud, she backed away, recognizing the man standing in front of her.

Having noticed her original reaction and the fact that she just stood there, unmoved, not recovering from the shock, her lowered his eyes in shame and wanted to turn around and leave her, maybe this time once and for all… Still, a strong grasp around his body stopped him dead in his track. He looked below his chin and saw the blonde clinging onto him as if for her life.

"Don't go… don't ever go… not ever again…" she pleaded with a breathless voice and looked up to him, her blue eyes once again drowned in tears… but, this time, those were tears of happyness… for the first time in months.

"Mina…"

"Don't you ever let go of me, Kane! Not ever again!" she repeated, this time on stronger voice. She managed to calm down a bit, even send him a smile and grabbed his large hands, directing them to the large tummy hiding below the cloack. At the feeling of her swollen body, his eyes widened in surprise and he looked at her astonished.

"Mina…"

"Yes!" she smiled again, between more tears.

"Mina, why didn't you tell me?" he asked, trying to catch his breath every once in a while. They were both reacting pretty dumb, but it was understandable, considering the circumstance.

"I'm telling you now…"

"Oh, Mina!" he said one last time and captured her entire body in his strong arms, agreeing to never let go. She as happy as a young mother, whose husband had just come back from the dead, could be. Now she was ready to start over… wherever he would take her… her and their child… their son.

* * *

Nothing could be more refreshing on a hot day of summer spent on the mediteraneean shore in the sun, than a bucket of extremely cold water. That was the conclusion that the two children reached after a long talk. They were an adorable pair for everyone, except for those who knew exactly what the two were capable of. Two heads, one completely blonde and the other completely black, appeared near the large pool, looking around them and trying not to be discovered… not just yet. Two pairs of dark blue eyes stared at each other and the two scanned their surroundings.

"Hmm, there's Keith!" the little boy pointed to an older one, standing in the pool, along with a much younger girl, teaching her how to swim.

"Yup, and he's got Mela with him…" the little girl completed, watching the silver-haired siblings having fun with each other.

"On the other side are Zack and Ames… she's reading again…" he groaned.

"We shouldn't bother them!" the pulled the sleeve of his t-shirt, right after noticing the evil grin forming on his face.

"Come on, it could be fun… You know she'll just forgive us."

"Do you remember how she threatened you with that huge syringe last time? What if she takes on her word?"

"Yeah… you're probably right…" he replied a bit disappointed. "Hey, where are Laura and Noah?" he asked a bit puzzled, not noticing his green-eyed friend and the annoying little sister of his around the place.

"Laura must be in the kitchen with aunt Lita… I heared they were baking some chocolate cookies… Oh, and Noah's with his dad up in the attic, setting up the telescopes…" she explained and he just nodded, looking at the the couple of kids about their age down in the pool. He noticed that Keith hadseen the two with his sharpsight and was shaking his head as a definite "no!". The boy simply grinned, showed him the victory sign and returned to his sister.

"There they are… out targets!" he said as his index finger pointed to a pair lounge chairs, each holding a man, one with blonde hair and the other with dark strands falling on his forehead. The two were currently enjoying the mediteraneean sun with they eyes closed and they almost seemed sleeping. Both the children shared one last glance and an evil grin. The boy took the bucket filled with water in his hands and started walking towards the two, followed by sister, none of them making any noises so that their surprise would be complete.

In about the same time, Jade opened one lazy eye, scanning fastly the surroundings. And then he barely caught a glimpse of a small arm, belonging probably to a five-years old boy, coming right their way. Hmm, he knew something was about to happen that day. He shot up from his place and managed to get away from his chair, just in time to rescue himself from a bucket filled with cold water thrown at him.

"Heads up!" he shouted, but it was too late. Opening one eye, he saw a very wet Darien Shields with a washed look on his face and two children a bit further from the two chairs, having the laugh of their lifes. He just shook his head, attempting to wipe off the grin forming on his face also. But Darien's look was much too great not be laughed at. In response, Darien jumped from his place and ran after the two kids.

"Ooops!" the girl only manage to say before the tall man started chasing them. Of course, the run wasn't very long and the dark-haired man ended up in the pool, with one child in each arm, splashing water all over Keith and scaring his younger sister. The two children hanging onto him were still laughing and he couldn't help but smile as well.

"Hmm, Jade, I see your genes were securely passed on!" he shouted to his friend, who was enjoying the view from the edge.

"What are you complaining about? Two more months and you'll get your own pair of devils to worry about!" the blonde man. Two sets of crystal blue eyes rolled up to him.

"Uncle Darien? What is a gene?" the blonde girl, named Rhianna asked from one arm.

"Dad? What's a devil?" Jason asked, simply shouting to his father, from the other arm. The two men shared one puzzled glance.

"Oh, they're yours, alright!" Darien replied, with a smug.

"Ok, that's it, give me my twins! You can have yours in two months!" Jade shouted, faking the annoyance, as the black-haired man went further in the pool, careful to hold the five-year-olds above the water.

"Hmm, if you love them so much… why don't you go to them?" a feminine voice asked from behind and an arm gave Jade a rather strong nudge, sending him gloriously in the water.

"Rei!" he shouted as the fall. The black-haired woman appeared on the edge, with a seven-months pregnant Serena next to her, who held a large tray full of Lita's delicious sweets.

"Cookies!" the twins said in the same time, eyeing the tray in their aunt's hands and leaned their small arms in the blonde woman's direction. Yet another set of laughs emerged, as the whole gang, kids included started to appear from everywhere. Standing a bit further from everyone, Zack cuddled next to Amy, who was both paying attention to her book and to the activity from the pool and all around it. Surrounding her with his arm, the blonde man said.

"Hmm, right now I'm so glad we don't have children…"

"Don't be so sure about that." Amy's voice came quite sure of herself, not anymore shy, as she had been during her teenage years.

"Amy!" all the voices around united into a great one and a tremendous number of eyes stuck on her petite figure.

"Oops!" she could only say in the silnece that followed and hid her blushing face behind the book, as she had done before so many times. And then, the laughter and good time began once again…

* * *

Now I'm done! Phew, finally! So, I've enabled the anonymus reviews, so you won't have any more excuses for not reviewing… I mean, this is really ti! Finito! Caput! The end! I hope you liked it (I really needed to write a happy-ending, because I can't make other kinds of endings, honestly) and that you'll also write something down… if not for the author, than perhaps for the senshi and the shitennou. Anyway, see you next fanfic (which will also be a senshi-shitennou one, because I absolutely love these pairs and I'm really faithful to them) and let's hope for the best. 


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